Kota Kinabalu: City Hall (DBKK) Director-General Datuk Lifred Wong said it is important to preserve history for the future generations of Sabahans and that the sacrifices of those who were massacred at the open pit that later became the Petagas War Memorial, is a case in point.
“This history is important. Whatever we go through, if we do not appreciate it, if we do not know our roots, we will not progress.
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What is most important is that we know our history, the history of our State. We must appreciate it, we must accept it and act positively from there,” he said, at the yearly memorial service, Wednesday.
Echoing similar sentiment was Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Datuk Michael Lui who said students and the Chinese community, in particular, should visit the Petagas War Memorial to appreciate and be aware of what happened during the second world war.
“This historical memory can be everlasting. We try our best to engage with more of the public,” said Lui, who pointed out the event’s importance in educating future generations.
They were among those present at the yearly memorial, Wednesday, in honour of those who were executed in the only civilian-led uprising against the Japanese that took place anywhere in Malaysia, before dawn on Jan. 21, 1944.
The Kinabalu guerrillas decided to act when they heard rumours of Japanese plans to round up females from homes to serve the occupation force.
For the record, in Malaya the opposition against the Japanese was waged by the armed and trained Malayan People’s Anti Japanese Army together with Allied help, but who later became the banned Communist Party of Malaya.
It started an insurrection against the British after the war in 1948 which was put down eventually.
The Petagas memorial service has been held without fail since 1948, making it Sabah’s longest-running commemorative event.
Some descendants came to offer prayers as early as 4am to coincide with the time that the remaining 176 members of the Kinabalu Guerillas led by Albert Kwok, a Sarawakian Chinese medicine pedlar, were executed for their surprise attack on Japanese military installations in October 1943.
Six including Kwok were beheaded while the rest were machine-gunned over an open pit. They included Jules Stephens, the father of first Chief Minister Donald (later Tun Fuad) Stephens.
The episode left some 70 Japanese dead and the resistance controlling Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) for nearly 48 hours.
However, the shocked Japanese rushed in reinforcements from Batu Lintang in Sarawak to put down the uprising and many Chinese and Muslims along the west coast from Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) to Mantanani ended up massacred by the Japanese in revenge.
Another 99 were tortured to death at the former North Borneo Constabulary headquarters at Batu Tiga where the present Sabah College is situated, while 100 were despatched to Labuan where a few survived.
Petagas memorial garden to get further upgrades
Lifred said the Petagas memorial garden will receive further upgrades this year, particularly toilet facilities, to accommodate the increasing number of visitors during Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
“Currently there are facilities, but when there are quite a number of tourists, they have to queue to use the toilets if needed,” he said, noting that previous State Government funding helped improve walkways and drainage systems that previously flooded during rain.
Deputy Chief Minister I cum State Works and Utilities Minister Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam represented Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor at the event, which began at 8.30am.
He led the wreath-laying, followed by the Rouse bugle call and a final salute before the ceremony concluded at about 9am.
