Two days after the appearance of Sergeant Kassim and Jokimut, two officers, a British captain and an australian sergeant, arrived from Ulu Sungei Belaga.  They were greeted with much enthusiasm.  News had travelled fast since the appearance of Sergeant Kassim.  A meeting was immediately called for and well attended by many Tuai Rumahs.  Asah was among them, together with Penghulu Puso and other responsible and influential people.  There was one aspect which everyone voiced with deep concern.  How were the Ibans to be convinced into joining forces with the kayans? 

Doubtless, there was a peace-making ceremony in Kapit on 16th November, 1924, between the various natives of Belaga and the Ibans.  Many pigs were killed, and over them pledges were sworn, but the distrust and fear of Ibans by the various natives, Malays and Chinese could not be dismissed.  Since then, the ranks of the natives had been sadly depleted by diseases, semi-starvation and their ugly consequences.  Once the women were quite prolific, but now there was a decrease in birth rate.  Besides, the Kayans remembered all too vividly, the expedition led against them by the second White Rajah, then the Tuan Muda.  They had suffered heavy losses in lives and properties.  Their desire for war had been curbed by the justice of the Brooke rule, and their able-bodied young men were numerous for either offensive or defensive war.  They felt that should the Japanese make use of the erroneously-guided Ibans, they would  be in a most disadvantageous position indeed kill isolated groups of the enemy by posing as stupid men was one thing, but to fight the Ibans was entirely out of the question.  The problem now was to convince the Ibans that was wiser for them to join forces. 

It was decided to send two runners, Jok Imut and Sakai, for arms and support to long Akah via Sungei Belaga.  An urgent message was tied to a short cane appropriately decorated with feathers and matchsticks and given to their care.  Thus armed, the runner left.  The Tuai Rumah of each longhouse that came their way would help them to speed up by providing paddlers, night or day, on seeing the orders which comprised the cane feathers and matchsticks. 

Also well-known Chinese trader, Teo Ah Chong, was sent post-haste armed with impressive documents containing messages of goodwill for the Iban Penghulus, from one of the White Rajah's officers who had been in the district before the war.  The names of the Ibans Penghulus were left out in the documents, in case Teo Ah Chong or the documents fell into the hands of the enemy.  (This officer later flew in by Catalina flying boat when Kapit was taken.)  Teo Ah Chong left on this important mission to solicit the support of the Iban chiefs that same day the runners left for Long Akah.  Asah, together with his men was ordered to get rid of Imada and his soldiers.  He left in a long slim perahu the next day. 

Belaga then lived suspense.  It was four days since Jok Imut and Sakai had left for Long Akah; Asah with his men towards the Batang Rejang, and the trader, Teo Ah Chong, for Kapit District.  None in Belaga envied the undertakings of these men whose hands the fate of Belaga rested.  The resistance movement depended on them.  If the Japanese in Sibu had begun to suspect why their personnels passing through Belaga, never reached Sibu, a punitive force would certainly be sent to investigate.  Imada and his soldiers were the preliminary probe. 

The casualties of enemy personnels killed by Kayans on patrol were steadily mounting, after the arrival of Sergeant Kassim.  Many unsuspecting enemy fell prey to their Kayan 'guides' and 'porters'.  The gruesome trophies of heads, weapons and belongings of the enemy were displayed by returning parties of patrols.  These heads were later subdivided, and carried in rattan containers which hung from belts tied round their waists. 

It was along these jungle paths where the Kayans operated, that two years before, a big party headed by then Resident of the Third Divisions officiated the opening of the back lanes.  Some well-known figures of Kuching and Sibu walked, crawled and climbed through Belaga District on their way to Sibu.  Obviously, these back lanes were made ready for the personnels of the Japanese Navy whose ships were sunk. 

It was apparent that from the disappearances or deaths of Japanese soldiers, the high-ranking officers would soon sit up and take notice.  Each successful killing tended to jeopardise the cause. 

Hope rose with the sun and sank with it.  The night was agonisingly long.  Why did the dry battery of the transmitter refuse to function at time like this?  The captain look balefully at the sergeant cum operator who cursed the battery, the transmitter and the firms which made them.  Sergeant Kassim kept carefully out of the captain's way, and busied himself in teaching the volunteers to make full use of their weapons.