Sandakan Day memorial service to be held virtually this Sunday

 By Olivia Miwil - August 13, 2021 @ 11:38am

The commemoration of Sandakan-Ranau Death Marches will be held virtually for the second time this Sunday with four invited speakers. - Pic courtesy of Sabah Tourism Sabah
The commemoration of Sandakan-Ranau Death Marches will be held virtually for the second time this Sunday with four invited speakers. - Pic courtesy of Sabah Tourism Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: The commemoration of the Sandakan-Ranau death march will be held virtually for the second time this Sunday.

The Sandakan Day memorial service is held every year on Aug 15, to remember and honour the sacrifices of locals and soldiers who came to liberate the nation during World War 2.

The event, which will be streamed live via the @SabahMalaysianBorneo Facebook at 9am, is to pay tribute to fallen British and Australian prisoners of war (POW).

Sabah Tourism Board chief executive officer Noredah Othman said it was unfortunate that it could not be physically held onsite to commemorate the day.

"But lest we forget, we continue to appreciate their sacrifices through this intimate and interactive session on Sunday.

"I am pleased to welcome His Excellency Charles Hay, British High Commissioner to Malaysia and Dr Ian Hodges from the Department of Veteran Affairs Australia to join us.

"This further signifies our close relationship with these two governments in preserving this important history," she said in a statement.

Apart from Hay and Hodges, Sabah Forestry Department Forest Research Centre Deputy Head Dr Arthur YC Chung and Sandakan Municipal Council retired government officer Catherin Chua would also be joining the sharing session.

In previous years, the event attracted between 300 and 400 people, with at least 200 from Australia.

Between 1942 and 1943, the POWs were kept at a camp near Mile 8, where the Sandakan Memorial Park is now located, to build a military airstrip for the Japanese.

In 1945, they were part of a forced-march of 260 kilometres from Sandakan to Ranau.

Most of the prisoners either died from the arduous trail, tropical illnesses, malnutrition or brutal treatment by their guards.

Only six Australians managed to escape with assistance from villagers.

Locals, who had helped the prisoners, also suffered and many were executed.



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