Albert Kwok's daring raid
Published on: Saturday, November 07, 2015
• OCT 9, 1943The Kinabalu Guerillas, led by Albert Kwok, attacked Japanese forces which had landed on Labuan on Jan 1 the previous year.Kwok and his band of other brave men included Jules Stephens (father of Tun Fuad Stephens), Mohd Yassin bin Hashim and many others.
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Their targets, on this day were Japanese police stations in Tuaran, Menggatal and on South Road in Kota Kinabalu.The third target was attacked with the help of islanders comprising Suluks, Binadans and Bajaus who had been in boats nearby.Except for Ishikawa, the police chief at the South Road police station, all enemy forces at the three targets were wiped out.Kwok issued a declaration of war against the Japanese and also appealed for help from the public. The Kinabalu Guerillas then moved to Menggatal, destroying the bridge at Inanam behind them.
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Sadly though, the Japanese forces caught up with them and captured Kwok and many others.Albert Kwok and others executed
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• OCT 10, 1943Kwok and many others were executed by the Japanese at Petagas. The date became the name of the fight by the Kinabalu Guerillas against the enemy forces – Double 10 Uprising. Their courage was the kind that finally helped bring about the liberation of Sabah by the Australian Ninth Division in 1945.Guerillas recapture Kota Belud• OCT 12, 1943The remaining members of the Kinabalu Guerillas, whose leader Albert Kwok had been executed by the Japanese two days earlier, recapture Kota Belud from the enemy forces.Outside lawyers barred• OCT 6, 1967The State Government made a decision under the Immigration Act 1963 barring non-Malaysians from setting up law practice in Sabah. This, however, did not apply to those who were already in the State.The decision was prompted by a request from local lawyers via a letter dated Aug 5, 1967 to the State Government. The local legal practitioners voiced concern about the future of the increasing number of locals reading law.Education bosses in Jesselton• OCT 5, 1959Sabah hosted the 10th Annual Conference of Directors of Education of Commonwealth Territories, South-East Asia. The event was held in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).Sabah alliance win election• OCT 5, 1971The Sabah Alliance Party won all 32 State Legislative Assembly seats in the second direct elections in the State. The seats were won uncontested.Lions come to Sabah• OCT 4, 1966The International Association of Lions Club set up its first branch in Sabah, making it the 20th in Malaysia and Singapore.Seaside resort opens• OCT 8, 1983The $80 million State-owned Tanjung Aru Beach Hotel was declared open, reflecting the Government's acknowledgment of the importance of the tourism trade.Shanghai offer to buy snakes, birds, monkeys• OCT 16, 1933An advertisement for the purchase of large snakes, birds, monkeys and other wild animals was placed in a local newspapers. Offers were to be sent to an address in Shanghai, China.Forest survey for timber started• OCT 16, 1915A general forest survey was started under the guidance of an American expert, Mr DM Mathews, to determine the potential of a timber industry.Oisca-Sabah is launched•OCT 13, 1979The Sabah branch of the Japan-based Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (Oisca) International was is up.The launching of Oisca Sabah was officiated by the Head of State Tun Datuk Mohd Adnan Robert at the Sabah Foundation building in Kota Kinabalu.KK host Rulers' meeting• OCT 12, 1983Kota Kinabalu played host to the 12th Conference of Rulers at the Tanjung Aru Beach Hotel. The conference was officiated by the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah ibni Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Almusta' in Billah.• OCT 16, 1971Two new ministries were created for Sabah – the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Sports headed by OKK Haji Sakaran bin Dandai with Edwin Chan Foo Sang as his deputy, and the Ministry of Industrial Development headed by Datuk Harris bin Salleh with Peter J. Mojuntin as his deputy.The Chief Minister Tun Datu Haji Mustapha Datu Harun said Sakaran's ministry would look after the interest of youths and further develop national culture and consciousness, while Harris ministry was created because there were 200 potential timber-based and agro-based industries in Sabah.Sabah school children start Getting free milk via govt scheme• OCT 15, 1980The State Government launched a scheme to distribute free milk to school children in Sabah. The scheme was introduced with the main aim of helping students become a more healthy lot by complementing their diet with milk and flavoured milk.A royal welcome for the Duchess of Kent• OCT 17, 1952The Duchess of Kent arrived in North Borneo (now Sabah) for an official four-day visit. She was accompanied by her 17-year-old son, Prince Edward. The length of her stay was considered an honour as the first visit by a British royalty, the Prince of Wales, 30 years years earlier lasted only four hours.Sandakan town set ablaze• OCT 15, 1944It was a fiery time in Sandakan when the Allied Forced carried out the first night raid to rout the Japanese occupiers. The attack set alight the southern part of the Sandakan wharf.Chinese Chambers approve idea to set up new body• OCT 14, 1961The North Borneo Chinese Chambers of Commerce convened an Extraordinary Meeting of Representatives, during which was passed a resolution to form the North Borneo Chinese Association.The Chinese Chambers of Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu), Tawau, Tenom, Papar and Kudat voted for the formation of the body, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Semporna, Beaufort and Tawau abstained while Sandakan and Keningau were not represented at the meeting.Koroh sworn in as TYT• OCT 12, 1977Tun Datuk Ahmad Koroh was sworn in as the fifth Head of State. He replaced Tun Hamdan Abdullah who died on Oct 10 that year.K'gau Sports Club set up• OCT 25, 1952To football fans in the Interior region, the rivalry between the Keningau and Bingkor teams was noteworthy. A match between these teams was thus, an appropriate event to mark the setting up of the Keningau Sports Club, headed by District Officer, WS Holley.New system of teaching English was introduced• OCT 31, 1980The standard of spoken and written English among students in Sabah, especially in rural areas, had dropped to serious levels, largely due to the lack of English teachers.In an effort to arrest the decline, the Government formulated the Sabah English Language Module (SELM). It was launched in remote Pensiangan by the Education Minister Datuk Musa Hitam.The SELM concept was a short-term measure to meet the urgent need in Sabah, especially at about 200 rural primary schools, which did not have English teachers.Under this system, lessons were taped on audio cassette tapes. Each SELM kit also contained pictures and brief instructions in Bahasa Malaysia.Musa said the learning of English would be an asset and expose children to greater knowledge. Efforts to promote English as a second language would not undermine the position of Bahasa Malaysia as the national language, he added.As part of long term measures, Musa said, the Government was training English language teachers at Universiti Malaya.New District Office opened• OCT 28, 1979The $100,000 Membakut District Office was officially opened by Chief Minister Datuk Harris Mohd Salleh. The building cost about $100,000 and had been in use for almost one year before the official opening.Mustapa retires as CM• OCT 31, 1975Tun Datu Mustapha bin Datu Harun stepped down at 57 as Chief Minister of Sabah, a post he had held since May 11, 1967. He remained head of Usno and the Sabah Alliance. Usno was ousted from power the following year by a newly-formed party, Berjaya.Sabah Residencies formed• OCT 31, 1954The Colony of North Borneo was divided into three Residencies: East Coast; West Coast and Labuan; Interior.Thumbs up from Philip• OCT 30, 1989The wildlife conservation efforts of the Sabah Government won praise from Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and president of the Worldwide Fund for Nature, when he visited the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan.The Labuan RMAF base is opened• OCT 27, 1968"We desire peace but we must also be prepared to stand up and fight for our right to exist as a sovereign and independent nation."These words, spoken when Malaysia was a nation just born, came from Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak who was also Defence Minister.He was speaking at the officials opening of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) base in Labuan. It was the final event in his itinerary during a four-day visit to Sabah.The Minister of Works, Posts and Telecommunications, Tun VT Sambanthan, also paid tribute to officers and men of the RMAF, saying: "So much is owed by so many to so few."The base was built jointly by the Public Works Department and the RMAF.First bank in Tuaran• OCT 26, 1968Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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