BRIEF BACK-GROUND OF CENOTAPH OPPOSITE IPOH RAILWAY STATION

The Cenotaph opposite Ipoh railway station was unveiled in 1927. On it a splendid brass plaque bore the names of 92 men from the state of Perak who fell in the Great War of 1914-1918, and another tablet commemorating the even greater war of 1939 to 1945. They were remembered for sometime. With passing generation the ceremonies ceased decades ago

It was in 2005 when I organized the remembrance ceremony for the fallen at Khalsa Diwan Malaysia, Ipoh in one of the fiercest battles against the advancing Japanese troops in Kampar that I earnestly started looking for the aforesaid two tablets. After a long search and enquiries lasting 2 years,  I learnt that they were back-loaded to the government stores and now in bad condition.

It was incumbent on me to see the Hon.Chief Minister of Perak who directed the relevant authority on 29.10.2007 that these be handed over to me. It was my joyous moment and with support from well-wishers these tablets were fabricated where necessary, welded, and polished.  I took the opportunity to add a new tablet to commemorate those who fell in the Emergency and Confrontation. An architect’s plan was submitted and approved by the Ipoh City Council. Finally these were built into the Cenotaph in June 2008 on time for our annual remembrance held on Friday 12 June 2008. The all-round support was excellent.

This year, we again organized a  remembrance ceremony on Friday 12^th June 2009 with even a bigger attendance of about 250 persons. We are confident that this Cenotaph remembrance will grow further as word spreads around and we will continue to organize.

“WE WILL REMEMBER THEM”.