Sarawak unveils WWII Liberation Monument
- BT
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
KUCHING, 11 September 2025 – It was a solemn yet proud morning at Pending Point as Sarawak commemorated the 80th anniversary of its liberation from Japanese occupation with the unveiling of the World War II Sarawak Liberation Monument. The event, officiated by Deputy Premier of Sarawak and Minister for Public Health, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian, brought together dignitaries, diplomats, veterans, and community leaders in a moving tribute to history, sacrifice, and resilience.
“This is not just another morning in Kuching. Today, we stand at the crossroads of memory and destiny,” said Mayor of Kuching South, Dato Wee Hong Seng in his welcoming address.
The ceremony marked a significant chapter in Sarawak’s wartime history, recalling the surrender of Japanese forces on Sept 11, 1945 aboard the Australian naval vessel HMAS Kapunda, accepted by Brigadier-General Thomas Eastick.
“That surrender ended three and a half years of hardship and fear under occupation and opened the door to rebuilding Sarawak’s future,” said Dr. Sim in his address.
The event included the handover of a replica of the WWII surrender instrument, wreath-laying, and a special message from the MBKS Child Council, followed by the Ode of Remembrance led by Major Paul Rosenzweig and Lt. Gen. Datuk Mundaw (Rtd).
Wee reflected on the monument’s deeper meaning: “This is the voice of history, speaking to us across time.”
He shared how the idea for the monument was born in 2019, when he first took office as Mayor, envisioning a landmark that would bind economy with memory, and progress with heritage. Despite the setbacks of the pandemic, efforts to preserve wartime memory continued, including the restoration of the plaque at the WWII Memorial Clock Tower.
“For MBKS, tourism and heritage are inseparable. We are not merely a council that collects rubbish or repairs roads. We are custodians of memory, builders of identity, and guardians of culture,” he said.
The mayor later announced plans to revive the Padungan Clock Tower’s original role as a memorial and to establish a Heritage War Trail linking Batu Lintang, Padungan, and Pending, which will transform Kuching’s streets into a living archive of courage and sacrifice.
Dr. Sim, meanwhile, emphasised the importance of remembering not just the victory, but the sacrifices made by Allied forces and Sarawakians alike.
“This monument is our promise that their courage will never be forgotten. Peace, freedom, and security cannot be taken for granted. They must be defended, nurtured, and passed on,” he said.
“Let it stand, for those who came before us, and for those yet to be born. And may future generations, when they stand here long after we are gone, look upon it and say, these were the people who remembered,” Wee concluded.
The monument now serves as a permanent reminder of Sarawak’s journey from wartime hardship to peace, and the legacy of those who shaped its destiny.
Present at this morning’s ceremony were Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak, Dato Sri Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah; Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (Tourism), Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew; Deputy State Secretary, Datu Hii Chang Kee; MBKS Mayor, Dato Wee Hong Seng; Deputy High Commissioner, His Excellency Simon Fellows, representing High Commissioner of Australia; High Commissioner of United Kingdom to Malaysia, His Excellency Ajay Sharma; High Commissioner of Canada to Malaysia, Her Excellency Jodi Robinson; Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China, Kuching, His Excellency Xing Weiping; Consulate for New Zealand, Tan Sri Datuk Amar (Dr) Hamid Bugo; Consulate for Australia, Datuk Dr. Philip Ting; Consul General Republic of Indonesia, Kuching, Her Excellency Ely Syafitri Handayani; Consulate General of Brunei Darussalam, His Excellency Sheikh Abdul Mahdani bin Dato Paduka Sheikh Haji Abdul Gani; and Permanent Secretary to the Ministry for Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts Sarawak, Datu Sherrina Binti Hussaini, among others.
