KOTA KINABALU, Sunday 21 Jan., 24: Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, led the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Petagas, here, this morning, honouring the memory of those who fought against the Japanese occupation during World War II.
This ceremony at the Petagas War Memorial was marked by a significant attendance, with 14 contingents representing enforcement agencies, government bodies, and volunteer organisations.
The memorial stands on the very ground where the Kinabalu Guerillas were executed on January 21, 1944, following their courageous but ultimately doomed insurgency. It serves as a sombre reminder of their sacrifice and the cost of freedom.
The Petagas War Memorial or Petagas War Memorial Garden is a memorial park dedicated to the Second World War victims in Sabah particularly to 324 resistance movement members led by Albert Kwok.
They were executed on 21 January 1944 at the site by the Japanese occupying forces of North Borneo for their involvement in the Jesselton Revolt.
The park memorial plate lists the names of men of various ethnic groups in North Borneo and from various islands in the Sulu Archipelago including the main resistance leader Albert Kwok and those who assisted or died in Labuan Military Prison.
The park was built exactly on the site where the massacre took place and where the victims were initially buried. It is located in Kampung Peringatan Petagas in the district of Putatan. – Talantang
