KUCHING: The South Australian Branch of the National Malaya Borneo Veterans Association of Australia (NMBVAA) visited the Batu Lintang Memorial on the anniversary of the liberation of Batu Lintang prisoners of war (PoWs), today (Sept 11).
The visit was also to a tribute to Brigadier Tom Eastick DSO, Commander Kuching Force, who came from South Australia.
NMBVAA’s President Major Paul Rosenzweig said the association has set four approaches to commemoration namely; ‘Remember the fallen’; ‘Honour the living’; ‘Remember Malaysia’ and ‘Look to the future’.
“The approaches to commemoration include respecting and honouring the fallen, we support our veterans and their families, we remember the friendship with Malaysia and we also look into the future.
“The commemoration also includes sponsorship to these three schools – SK Serabak, SK Suba Buan and SK Stass,” said Rosensweig when met by the media here.
He added that the three schools were where the Australian troops served during Confrontation period and the association will travel to Bau on Sept 13 to hand over the financial donation.
In a related matter, Rosensweig also said that a commemoration service will be held at the Sarawak Heroes Memorial Park in August 2023.
“We are coming back next year in August to have a ceremony where the Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Malaysian veterans all come together to commemorate the fallen,” he said.
The visit also saw the association pay tribute to those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice during the Malayan Emergency and the Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation (1963-1966).
In 2016, the South Australian branch of NMBVAA installed a commemorative plaque in the Sarawak Heroes Memorial Park. This plaque lists the names of the Australians fallen from the Confrontation period.
Also present were NMBVAA’s Vice President Don Cameron, Australian Honorary Consul to Sarawak Datuk Philip Ting, Kuching South City Council Mayor (MBKS) Datuk Wee Hong Seng and the Chairman of the Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) Fiona Marcus Raja.
