By Olivia Miwil - January 21, 2022 @ 12:43pm
KOTA KINABALU: An octogenarian lost nine family members, including his father and two teenage brothers to the Kinabalu Guerilla movement here on Jan 21, 1944.
The movement was headed by resistance fighter Albert Kwok against the Japanese which led to the massacre in Petagas.
During that time, Abdul Rahim Nazal's family members were living on an island off Kota Kinabalu.
Abdul Rahim, who was two at the time, said after the incident, his mother and aunt were sent to Kampung Kuala Kimanis.
The youngest of four siblings was then raised by his late sister.
"My mother died shortly after in Kampung Kuala Kimanis as she was heartbroken, missing her husband, sons and other family members. Also, food supply was scarce during the Japanese occupation.
"This incident left me an orphan. Even now I am the only surviving member of my family," said the father of nine children and 34 grandchildren.
The 81-year-old man was met at the Petagas Memorial Park here in conjunction with the 78th memorial ceremony for 176 people including sympathisers who were gunned down and buried at the site.
Abdul Karim comes to the park every year except the past two years when the movement control orders were imposed to contain the spread of Covid-19.
"This morning, I cried before I came here thinking that I would never know my parents' full names nor their faces.
"I could not ask anyone about my mother, but luckily I have my father's friends to ask about him," he added.
Abdul Rahim said he had met former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee to contribute his share of stories for the publication of a book for the next generation.
Sabah Youth and Sports Ministry Datuk Ellron Angin represented the Sabah Chief Minister at the annual ceremony.
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