THE ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY 2018

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
AT THE ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY 2018

18 NOVEMBER 2018
CENOTAPH ESPLANADE, PENANG

 

HER EXCELLENCY MS VICKI TREADELL
BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER KUALA LUMPUR

HIS EXCELLENCY MR KOLINIO GATA TAKALI
AMBASSADOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI AND MADAME ADI MERELENU TAKALI

HIS EXCELLENCY MR KUMAR RAJ KHAREL
CHARGE’ DE AFFAITS OF REPUBLIC OF NEPAL AND MADAME KUMAR KHAREL

HIS EXCELLENCY MR RITTICHAI TUBSUWAN
CONSUL, ROYAL THAI CONSULATE GENERAL PENANG

GROUP CAPTAIN WENDY HORDER
DEFENCE ADVISOR AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION AND MR JOHN SMITH.

COLONEL ANIRUDH CHAUHAN
DEFENCE ADVISOR HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA AND MRS MADHU CHAUHAN (REPRESENTED BY MR VARUN JEPH FIRST SECRETARY COMMERCE & COMMUNICATION)

CAPT ROGER WARD
DEFENCE ADVISOR NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSION AND MRS KAREN WARD

MAJOR DAVID BARR
ASSISTANT CANADIAN DEFENCE ADVISOR ACCOMPANIED BY DATO TAN YEW THONG CANADIAN HONORARY CONSUL IN PENANG.

AIR VICE MARTIAL TIMOTHY INNES
COMMANDER INTEGRATED AREA DEFENCE SYSTEM BUTTERWORTH AND MRS CLAIRE INNES.

KAPT (LAUT) ABAU ENDAU BOON
COMMANDING OFFICER KD SRI PINANG ROYAL MALAYSIAN NAVY

WING COMMANDER XERRI MATHEW
19 SQUADRON ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE, BUTTERWORTH

PRESIDENTS OF PERSATUAN VETERAN INDIA ANGKATAN TENTERA MALAYSIA (PERIM) OF PENANG, KEDAH AND PERAK.

CHAIRMAN OF NORTHERN CHAPTER MALAYSIAN ARMY CHINESE VETERANS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA

DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF MALAYSIAN ARMED FORCES SIKH VETERANS ASSOCIATION

REPRESENTATIVES OF POLICE VETERANS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA.

REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS.

A very good morning to everyone.

First of all, I would like to thank the organiser, Persatuan Veteran Keselamatan Pulau Pinang or commonly known as The Penang Veterans for organising this “Annual Remembrance Day Ceremony to Remember and Honour the Fallen Heroes” this year at Cenotaph Esplanade. It is a great honour and privilege to be given this opportunity to attend and address all of you distinguished guests here, especially the veterans and servicemen at this significant Remembrance Day 2018.

I would like to specially thank members of the Diplomatic Corps, Defence Advisors, Officers of The Armed Forces, The Police Force and dignitaries for taking time off from their busy schedule to be here. Welcome and selamat datang to this Historical Remembrance Day 2018, which marks 100 years since the end of the First World War in 1918.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First World War started in 1914 and ended in 1918. Penang did not experience much impact except that the German Cruiser SMS Emden sank two ships in the Straits of Malacca, north of Muka Head Penang. They were the Russian Cruiser Zhemchung and French destroyer Mousquet. Some of the Russian sailors who lost their lives are buried in Pulau Jerejak, Penang.

After the end of the First World War, it was estimated that a huge number of people lost their lives and the People of Penang to Remember and Honour the Fallen Heroes donated money to erect this Cenotaph. It was their belief and hope that there will be no more wars and destruction.

Unfortunately, in the last hundred years we have had World War 2 in which the then Malaya and Penang suffered the effects of war for four dreadful years. We then faced the Malayan Emergency for 12 painful years from 1948 to 1960. There were many other armed conflicts as well.

Wars have been fought all along in history to settle disputes or out of greed and to expand power. Wars are very costly not only in material loss but also in unnecessary loss of human life. In all these wars, service personnel in particular and civilians in general have played a great part to defend our country and freedom.

I take this solemn Remembrance Day Ceremony with utmost respect to the fallen heroes, as I humbly join all of you to remember, honour and show gratitude to all those who either perished or maimed and their families who have made great sacrifices and endured hardships in all these military conflicts. All of us and our children enjoyed freedom today due to their sacrifices. Let us remember them by ending all wars of violence. Let us declare war only on ignorance, poverty, discrimination, racism, hate, extremism and corruption!

Thank you.