Sandakan Historical and cultural

28th Oct

A day to focus on the historical and cultural aspect of Sandakan.

First itinerary is the Sandakan Memorial Park to commemorates the death from Jan to Aug 1945 the death of 2400 as well as the pains and untold sufferings of the Allied Forces POW at the hands of the brutal Imperial Japanese Army. These POW were held by the Japanese in the Sandakan POW camp where the Memorial now stand.

The historical mainly focus of the Death Marches from Sandakan to Ranau. Its a 260 km trek through tropical jungles and swamps. About 2000 POW were forced to carry heavy loads of army supplies deep into the interior of Sabah to Renau. Here they were to build an air strip for planes to refuel and other logistical support. About 500 died during the three brutal and arduous marches. They laboured under harsh conditions with insufficient food and medical care. This take a very heavy tolls on the POW. All those that survived the marches died in Ranau deal to extreme working condition and brutal treatment from the Japanese. Many escaped but only 6 who managed to survive.

Reading all the narratives displayed in the Museum make me sick. The cruelties of the Japanese was beyond human and unforgivable. I have visited the Death Railway in Kanchanburi in Thailand, read about the death match in Bataan in Philippines as well as the massacre in Nanking. Not to forget the Sook Ching right at home in Singapore. Many older Singaporeans including my father and relatives also suffer untold suffering.  It is really shameful that the Japanese wanted to whitewash this part of the history.

Sandakan Museum

Not much of a display here. The exhibits are mainly old photographs of Sandakan. Still the history values are there.