EULOGY BY TAN SRI BEN STEPHENS
These was done for some Australia visitors on the way to visit war memorials in Sabah in 1999 but was never used. (Labuan, Kundasang and Sandakan)
1. World War II ended fifty four years ago and it seem like yesterday.
2. Memories of its violence, destruction and the people who gave their lives and those who survived defending our freedom are remembered by some of us and are among us here today.
3. However among the young generations, it will slowly fade and thereby oblivious to the fact that our sovereignty came with sacrifice and suffering by others.
4. Therefore memorials like this one, the Sandakan War Memorial, the Kinabalu War Memorial and others in this State have their importance in educating and reminding our present and future generation.
5. This memorial, the Petegas Memorial Garden is dedicated to the Kinabalu Guerrillas numbering 300 young men from various communities and family members of the guerrillas and sympathisers alike who suffered and sacrificed their lives.
6. The Guerrilla movement was organised by a brave and patriotic man by the name of Albert Kwok in 1942.
7. In September 1943 information was obtained that the Japanese was intending to conscript 2000 youths of Sabah to strengthen the front-line defence.
8. This was thwarted on the night of 9th October 1943, by the surprise attack by the guerrillas on the Japanese Police Station and military Police Headquarters in then known as Jesselton, now Kota Kinabalu .
9. The mainly machete armed men killed scores of Japanese and burned down a custom godown.
10.This severely discouraged the Japanese and the proposed conscription was abandoned.
11.However reprisal was implemented as the Japanese had reinforcement from Kuching. The Guerrillas retreated to the hills behind Mengattal.
12.Most of the members of the Kinabalu Guerrilla surrendered within two months as the enemy had threatened and tortured members of their families, innocent women and children alike.
13.On the 21st January 1944, 176 men of the Kinabalu Guerrilla including my father, Jules P. Stephens, and sympathisers were executed and buried in the vicinity of this memorial garden.
14.Others amounting 131 were sent to Labuan to serve various terms of imprisonment. 117 of them died due to inhumane treatment which included torture and starvation.
15.After the war a committee headed by few surving members of the guerilla force and their families including myself reburied those who had been killed together with the remains from Labuan in this common burial ground.
16.This Garden has been improved through the years and I commend Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council, whose President is with us today, Datuk Adeline Leong and Officers of the Council for a job well done. Thank you MPKK.
17.Each year an Official Memorial is held on the 21st January in memory of the gallant man who fought against the Japanese Occupation forces.
18.More can be done in Sabah and this is the duty all including NGO’s such as Kota Kinabalu Junior Chamber, the Government and public alike.
19.Let us not stop here but instead, together, go forward to ensure the preservations of our history and heritage.
Thank You.
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