War Graves for British War Ships

The Malaysian power-to-be have appeared to adopt a giant shift in recognition of World War II events in this country.

The DPM made the bold call to the ministry in concern to give our former colonial masters a place in our history and their roles to defend Malaya against Imperial Japanese Forces during World War II. (NST , May 23, 08)

Personally, I welcome the stance taken by Najib and it is a big wake-up call for historical and cultural guardians in this country from their overdue cultural amnesia.

In an Aljazeera talk show- 101 East, one of the panelist from Malaysia remarks that Malaysian government lacks the political will to 'punish' the Japanese after the war as compared to other countries like South Korea and China because we had agreed to the compensation money offered by the Japanese and the war basically affected the minority Chinese more and little on the Malays.

Hence the sufferings inflicted on the people in this country is 'proportioned' and not the entire population as we all made to believe.

However, my experience of talking to family members and Malaysians who experienced the horrors of World War II from 1941 to 1945, it is easily to conclude the adverse impact it had on us, yet the authorities especially at the federal level have shied away from this topic.

The Japanese Army cruelty and brutality during this period are all too well recorded and the mental scars affected on its victims still refuse to go away although 60 years have gone by.

Their compelling and heart touching tales of grieves and nighmares would soon die one day with them if the government continues to detach itself from the need to capture their oral history. Something must urgently be done.

Like many Malaysians I too have my share of stories we heard from our loved ones. Like how bomb from a Zero fighter almost killed my grandfather who was out looking for food to feed his young family.

How a relative in Batu Pahat survived being bayoneted but later died from infection. How mother and terrified Malaccans woke up to see human skulls paraded around the Victoria fountain at the Stadhuys to warn people to behave. How my mother-in-law and all the village's damsels took to the jungle to evade the Japanese troops hungry for what else.

Needlessly to say, the lack of action from the Heritage authority is mind bothering. No official monument to showcase what is one of the bleakest years in our nation.

No museums to tell the ferocity of General Yamashita aka The Tiger of Malaya and his bicycle brigade. No memorials to mark the thousands of war deaths and the innocent lives committed to the building of the Death Railway on the Thai-Burma Border.

Even the annual ANZAC ceremonies in Labuan and Perak to honor the soldiers sacrified in the futile battles to stop the advancing Japanese were lowkey event worthy of brief mention in local English newspaper while nothing in the mass Malay print house.

What we have on this subject in this country is pathetic.

An unworthy museum in Kota Bahru covered in non descriptive photos. In Malacca, a lone monument next to Hang Li Poh Well stands dedicated to the local population who died in the hands of occupiers.

In Kepala Batas, Penang, British built defensive fortress is the villagers favorite dumpsite. While in Kelantan. they lie in ruins and on the brink of collapse from the continuous pounding of the sea waves.

Article from NST Friday, May 23, 2008

Najib: Register WW2 warships as war graves.

The Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage should consider registering the sunken warships HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales as war graves and protected from illegal encroachment.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the ministry should include the two ships in the Malaysia Government Protected Heritage list.HMS Repulse and the Prince of Wales were sunk on Dec 10, 1941, off the coast of Kuantan during World War Two. More than 800 people died.

Najib yesterday handed over the bell from the Prince of Wales to the commanding officer of HMS Edinburgh for safe passage to the United Kingdom. It will be returned to its permanent home at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. The bell has been in Malaysia since October as the main showpiece of the "Relationships" project, an initiative by Malaysia to honour those who died in the sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales.

The ceremony was witnessed by British High Commissioner to Malaysia Boyd McCleary, Royal Malaysian Navy chief Admiral Datuk Abdul Aziz Jaafar and Admiral (R) Mohd Tan Sri Anwar Mohd Nor, former RMN chief and chief of defence. McCleary said: "Malaysia has paid great tribute to the fallen heroes of both ships. " The bell has played a part in this historical project, an indication of the strength and depth of UK-Malaysia relations."

Najib said in memory of the 50 year of Malaysia-British formal relationship and in conjunction with 50 years of independence, the government appreciated the efforts of the Relationships project team (RPT) and the British High Commission." I was quite impressed when I visited the RPT booth at the maritime exhibition at the last Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace."

HMS Edinburgh is a Type 42 destroyer which is in Port Klang on a routine visit from May 21 to 26. Commanding officer Commander Gavin Young will take the bell back to Liverpool. It had conducted sea exercises with the navies of Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand as part of the annual exercise schedule under the Five-Power Defence Arrangement.