WWII Sites & Memorials in Malaysia & Singapore

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One of the bloodiest conflicts of the 21st century, World War Two (WW2) irrevocably scarred the lives of millions worldwide.

In 1942, the regions now called Malaysia (then Malaya) and Singapore were invaded and occupied by the Japanese Empire, leading to the massacres of thousands of civilians and prisoners of war (POWs) out of pure malice or sheer neglect.

After the Japanese surrender in 1945 and decades of reconciliation efforts, these painful 3 years have started to fade in the Malaysian and Singaporean consciousness – who both enjoy cordial ties with modern Japan.

But, with the rise of modern conflicts, superpower competition and the lingering spectre of historical revisionism and denialism worldwide, it is all too important for both Malaysians and Singaporeans to look back and remember the events and particularly places that have shaped our modern-day lives, whether directly or indirectly.

Here are some of the many poignant WW2 sites and memorials located in Malaysia and Singapore:

Kota Bharu Beaches, Kelantan

Not many Malaysians still remember from their Sejarah or History lessons that the Japanese invasion first took place on the beaches of Kota Bharu, in what is now the state of Kelantan.

Even fewer will remember the exact location of these beaches.

On 8 December 1941, just after midnight and before the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese landed at the three neighbouring beaches of Pantai Cahaya Bulan (formerly Pantai Cinta Berahi), Pantai Pak Amat and Pantai Sabak – all right next to the state capital Kota Bharu. Within a day, they defeated the British and Indian defenders and began their astonishingly fast and brutal two-month campaign to conquer Malaya.

Today, all three beaches are beautiful and important sites, but the only beach with a war memorial is Pantai Pak Amat.

Sadly, the original monument consisting of an impressive artillery cannon mounted atop a giant plinth has been removed or destroyed, most probably due to coastal erosion.

In its place, a more modest sculpture marks the date, time and spot where the Japanese occupation of Malaya and the wider Pacific War began.

Pantai Sabak also used to house a pillbox bunker from the old British defences, but that too has since been swallowed by the sea. The beach itself has disappeared as well, with only anti-erosion defences and fading memories left.

After visiting the memorial, do take the time to stroll through the pristine sands of Pantai Pak Amat and Pantai Cahaya Bulan. And make sure to follow some of our summer sun skincare tips!

Getting Here

From Kuala Lumpur, you can get on the Kuala Lumpur–Kota Bharu Highway for a 6.5-hour drive to Kota Bharu.

Frequent buses depart from the TBS terminal in Bandar Tasik Selatan while flights to the Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport depart daily.

Locations

Pantai Cahaya Bulan (Google Maps)

Pantai Pak Amat (Google Maps)

Pantai Sabak (Google Maps)

What’s Nearby

Other noteworthy sites near the beaches include a sunken pillbox right in the middle of the town of Pengkalan Chepa along with a memorial park and clocktower built with Japanese help after the war.

The capital Kota Bharu also has its very own Bank Kerapu War Museum – a former bank that was commandeered by the notoriously cruel Kempeitai or Japanese secret police. It features artifacts and replicas relating to WW2.

Green Ridge, Kampar

Barely three weeks after the fall of Kota Bharu in the east and the strategic town of Jitra in the west, the tin mining town of Kampar would soon witness the Battle of Kampar (30 Dec – 2 Jan) – one of the few minor victories in what was quickly becoming a southward British retreat.

Thanks to its advantageous geography, the town of Kampar was chosen as a defensive perimeter. The area’s heavily forested ridges overlooking mostly flat plains filled with a difficult terrain of tin mining lakes and swamps were perfect for denying the Japanese air and tank superiority.

While British artillery pounded the exposed Japanese forces from what is now called Green Ridge, exhausted groups of Indian and British soldiers engaged in close-quarters combat with the Japanese  – inflicting heavy casualties while delaying their advance for a precious few days.

However, without supplies and an imminent Japanese encirclement from the south at Teluk Anson, retreat was inevitable, and Kampar would fall by 2^nd January.

Now, all that remains of the Battle of Kampar is an unmarked trailhead that leads to a few signs on the former battlefield installed by the NGO Malayan Historical Group.

On the ridge, fortresses, trenches and even rusting ammunition boxes stand in silent witness to the ferocious fighting here.

Sadly, a previous sign marking the trailhead was stolen for scrap metal before being reinstalled. And based on a Google Maps image capture from March 2024, the sign seems to have disappeared again.

Negotiations with the developer which owns the ridge to preserve the site seem to have stalled since 2021 and the site currently sits in limbo. For those looking to take a hike, do take note of the vague status of the site and tread carefully.

Even if the site is eventually lost, a memorial built by Malayan Historical Group still remains in the SMK Kampar school nearby.

Getting Here

KTM offers ETS train services four times daily from KL Sentral to Kampar (2 hours).

By car, take the North-South Expressway (2hrs) and exit at Exit 130 – Bidor.

Kampar is also a 45-minute drive from the regional Ipoh airport at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport.

Green Ridge Trailhead
Jalan Ipoh – Kampar, 31900 Kampar, Perak(Google Maps)

What’s Nearby

The modern town of Kampar itself is also a worthwhile daytrip destination thanks to an interesting mix of prewar charm in its Old Town quarter and a laidback college town vibe closer to the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman campus.

The area’s many tin mining lakes are also great for shutterbugs looking for some landscape shots. For some context and history behind all these mysterious lakes, try paying a visit to the Kinta Tin Mining Museum.

Parit Sulong Bridge, Johor

After crushing, back-to-back defeats at the Battle of Slim River (5 – 7 Jan) and the loss of the capital Kuala Lumpur (11 Jan), the last major battle fought on the Malayan Peninsula fell on the town of Muar in Johor.

Here, Indian and Australian soldiers held out for eight days in a final all-out attempt to halt the Japanese in the Battle of Muar (14–22 January).

This resulted in the devasting loss of hundreds of men and dozens of tanks for the Japanese in a single week – some of the heaviest in the campaign.

Unfortunately, this was not enough, and a general retreat ensued amidst overwhelming loses.

The final moments of the Battle of Muar played out at the Parit Sulong Bridge where, after desperate attempts to break out of an encirclement, the 45th Brigade retreated while leaving behind wounded and a few volunteers.

Later, these 150 wounded and surrendered soldiers were machine-gunned, stabbed and even burned alive by the Japanese in what came to be known as the Parit Sulong Massacre.

Today, a plaque – stolen and then replaced multiple times, no less – marks the site of the original bridge, which has long since been rebuilt.

Nearby, next to a small playground, a solemn memorial with some informative signs also pays tribute to the battle and the senseless slaughter that occurred here.

Just a few blocks away, the soldiers’ former quarters also house a small gallery and museum. Oddly enough, some of the rooms seem to house modern-day stores.

Getting Here

From Kuala Lumpur, it’s a 2.5-hour drive on the North-South Expressway to reach the small town of Parit Sulong.

Parit Sulong Bridge
Jln Muar, Kampung Baharu, 83500 Parit Sulong, Johor Darul Ta’zim  (Google Maps)

What’s Nearby

Sadly, the sleepy town of Parit Sulong doesn’t have much else in the form of attractions. Consider stopping by the weird dinosaur park in Muar or the Soga Perdana Forest Eco Park in Batu Pahat.

Former Ford Factory, Singapore

Originally built as Southeast Asia’s first motorcar assembly plant, the Former Ford Factory in Singapore’s Bukit Timah district was quickly converted by the British to assemble fighter planes during the Malayan Campaign.

But after the chaotic final collapse of Singapore’s defences, it would be the site of their final surrender on Feb 15, 1942.

Overseen by Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, the British delegation led by Lieutenant-General A. E. Percival would offer their unconditional surrender at the factory, bookmarking the British Empire’s greatest humiliation in WW2 and the beginning of three years of terror and tragedy for local civilians.

After Japanese defeat in 1945, this grim site would eventually be turned into a museum in 2006, showcasing exhibits relating to the fall of Singapore, the Japanese Occupation and the legacy of WW2.

After stewing in some dark history, it might be a good idea to get some fresh air at the nearby Bukit Timah Nature Reserve or Bukit Batok Nature Park, both of which are reachable on foot.

Getting Here

Flights from Kuala Lumpur depart daily for Changi Airport in Singapore. From the airport, take the Downtown Line to the Hume MRT station before walking to the Ford Factory.

Of course, if you want a sneak preview of the museum, you can try out the cool 360-degree virtual tour organized by the National Archives of Singapore!

Former Ford Factory, Singapore
351 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 588192 (Google Maps)
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am-5:30pm
Closed Mondays and public holidays
Admission: $7.13/person, free for Singaporeans and children under 6

What’s Nearby

Another WW2 point of interest is also just above the Ford Factory  – the Syonan Chureito Memorial on Bukit Batok.

Formerly two hilltop monuments to Japanese and Allied war dead built by POW forced labour, the original structures were destroyed after the war. Today, only the stairs and a 1995 memorial plaque marks the site.

In southern Singapore, there is also the War Memorial Park, which features many monuments dedicated to the soldiers and civilians who died during the Japanese Occupation – chief of which are the chopstick-shaped Civilian War Memorial and the solemn Cenotaph.

To the north, the Kranji War Memorial also houses the final resting place of thousands of soldiers and officials.

Sandakan Memorial Park, Sabah

Sabah and Sarawak – or what was called British Borneo – was not spared from the Japanese Occupation as well.

After the surrender of Singapore and the British Borneo forces, most of the British and Australian POWs were interned in the interior of Sandakan at a former farm.

Here, they were forced to build airstrips for the Japanese while enduring inhumane conditions and cruel punishments from their captors, including being locked inside wooden cages as punishment for stealing food.

As the war gradually turned against them, the Japanese, commanded by Captain Hoshijima Susumi, forced the weak and diseased POWs to march through inhospitable terrain to the interior town of Ranau, a staggering 211km away.

During what became known as the Sandakan Death March, any collapsed or injured POWs were murdered on the spot by Japanese soldiers.

Many more died due to the terrible conditions and additional forced labour in the Sandakan and Ranau camps.

Sadly, even after the Japanese surrender on 15 August 1945, the guards murdered any remaining survivors in both camps to silence any testimony against them.

Out of an estimated 2,500 POWs, only six survived the camps and marches, with all of them escaping during the march.

Today, the former Sandakan camp where the terrible march began has been turned into a memorial site.

Besides a small serene wooden pavilion with a museum explaining the site, there is also an austere stone memorial inscribed with words dedicated to those who died here needlessly.

Due to flooding, the POWs’ remains from the site have been moved to the Labuan War Cemetery.

Getting Here

Flights from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu depart daily for Sandakan Airport.

In the town, various buses and taxis can ferry you to most of the points of interests.

Sandakan Memorial Park
90702, Jalan Labuk, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah (Google Maps)
Open Daily 8am-5pm
Admission Free

What’s Nearby

Modern day Sandakan is a popular jumping-off point to the natural wonders of Sabah such as Gomantong Cave, the Kinabatangan River Cruise and the famous Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre.

In the city itself, the breathtaking view at Puu Jih Shih Temple, the magnificent St. Michael’s and All Angels Church and the Agnes Keith House are some of the beautiful heritage sites you can find.

And surprisingly, the St. Michael’s and All Angels Church isn’t the only beautiful church in Malaysia too, since we managed to make a list of Malaysia’s Ten Most Beautiful Churches!

Labuan War Cemetery, Labuan

The serene island of Labuan is perhaps the apt final resting place for many of the fallen soldiers of the Malayan and Borneo campaigns.

Facing the mainland on the island’s southeastern edge, the Labuan War Cemetery was built and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to host the remains of 3,908 British, Indian, Australian, New Zealanders and Malayan soldiers.

1,726 of these graves remain unidentified, while many names also lack any remains, being only remembered by a name inscribed upon the cemetery’s memorials.

Looking over the many graves poking out of a forest-ringed lawn alongside the various memorials gives you a staggering look at the horrific cost of war and the senselessness of it all.

If you happen to be visiting around early November, you could try visiting around Nov 11 or the nearest Sunday for Remembrance Day – an annual event commemorating the war dead with prayers, speeches and the laying of wreaths.

Getting Here

Daily flights depart from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu for Labuan Airport.

Buses and taxis can then take you to the Labuan War Cemetery, which is only about 6 mins away.

Labuan War Cemetery
87000 Labuan, Labuan Federal Territory (Google Maps)
Open Monday to Friday, 7am-4:30pm
Admission: Free

What’s Nearby

Another WW2 site in Labuan is the Japanese Surrender Point to the west of the island, which commemorates the site of Japan’s official surrender in Borneo on 10th September 1945. The Japanese-built Peace Park is also right next to it.

For sites closer to the Labuan War Cemetery, there’s the Labuan Botanical Gardens’ park and herb gardens as well as the  Gurdwara Sahib Temple, a handsome gold-topped Sikh temple.

The town’s Labuan Museum also provides visitors a more general overview of the island’s history.

Tugu Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Right in the heart of the capital Kuala Lumpur, next to its commercial and political heart is Tugu Negara or the National Monument.

Designed by Austrian architect Felix de Weldon (famous for the Iwo Jima Memorial) with the blessing of Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, the sculpture was built in 1966. To this day, it remains one of the tallest bronze freestanding group statues in the world.

Featuring four soldiers watching over their injured and fallen brethren, Tugu Negara is a memorial to those who fought in WW2 and the subsequent Malayan Emergency – a conflict between Malayan and Commonwealth forces with a communist insurgency led by the Malayan National Liberation Army.

Surrounded by a blue pool of water and a serene park, the monument is still a sight that inspires quiet reflection and peace.

Although official Warriors’ Day commemorations were moved in 2010 to Merdeka Square due to pressure from religious conservatives, Tugu Negara still hosts Remembrance Day events for Commonwealth parties.

The Kuala Lumpur Cenotaph is also located nearby. Originally built to commemorate WW1 British soldiers, it was further engraved with a dedication to those who died in WW2 as well.

Getting Here

KL Sentral station or the Pasar Seni LRT Station are around 15-minutes away on foot. You’ll have to pass through the Perdana Botanical Gardens on the way to the memorial.

The KL Hop-On Hop-Off sightseeing bus service also stops by the monument. Look for the Garden Route between stops 21 (National Palace) and 22 (KL Bird Park), with the KL Bird Park being the closest stop to Tugu Negara.

Tugu Negara
Perdana Botanical Garden, Jln Parlimen, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (Google Maps)Open Daily from 7am-6pm
Admission Free

What’s Nearby

The ASEAN Sculpture Garden is right next to Tugu Negara and contains a variety of sculptures crafted by artists throughout the Southeast Asian region.

Nature lovers should also check out Taman Tugu, a 66-acre nature reserve with plenty of hiking trails to sweat it out right in the middle of KL.

South of Taman Tugu, there’s also a massive park at the Perdana Botanical Garden, which features many individual gardens and parks such as the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park and KL Bird Park.

Of course, if you’re more into culture and history, there’s always the National Mosque and the National Museum to the southeast as well.

Air Itam War Memorial Park, Pulau Pinang

In the town of Air Itam, a town in the Penang Island interior, stands an odd sculpture.

Right in the middle of a busy intersection, an ivory obelisk inscribed with Chinese characters watches over a weathered bronze sculpture of a truck being pushed upwards up by a group of men.

This is the Air Itam War Memorial Park.

The obelisk, or the Overseas Chinese Anti-War Memorial, is a memorial and grave to around 800 victims of the Sook Ching massacres, which were Japanese killings of ethnic Chinese civilians as retaliation for Chinese resistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Gleaming under the hot Penang sun, the white memorial was built in 1950 by local Chinese community leaders and maintained to this day as a memorial for these innocent lives and as a wish for peace.

Meanwhile, the truck sculpture is also closely related, being a memorial to the Penang Nanyang Volunteers.

Numbering thousands, the Nanyang Volunteers were volunteer drivers and mechanics who helped build the Burma Road, a road that brought in desperately needed supplies into China for the fight against Japan. Hundreds of Penangite Chinese volunteered, with many sadly dying from accidents, disease and Japanese air raids.

Today, the bronze monument at Air Itam stands as a necessary reminder of past courage and sacrifice, as well a plea for future peace by Chinese Penangites.

Down south, Kuala Lumpur’s Kwong Tong Cemetery also hosts a monument to the Nanyang Volunteers of Selangor, not to mention the Japanese War Memorial as well.

Getting Here

There are daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to Penang International Airport. Buses or taxis can then take you to the Air Itam War Memorial Park.

The KTM ETS service can also take you from KL Sentral to Butterworth KTM Station, where you can then board a ferry to the Pangkalan Raja Tun Uda ferry terminal at Georgetown. It’s then a 30-minute bus or taxi ride to the memorial.

Air Itam War Memorial Park
8, Jalan Air Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang (Google Maps)
Open Daily 24 Hours
Admission Free

What’s Nearby

Air Itam is remarkably close to Penang Hill, a highland leisure spot filled with heritage attractions, hiking trails and splendid views over the island and the surrounding seas. The famous Kek Lok Si Temple is located at the foothills of Penang Hill.

The world-famous Georgetown is also a great spot for history buffs thanks to its of British colonial-era buildings and heritage religious buildings. Of course, there’s great food everywhere you look too! Unsurprisingly, this has earned it a place as one of Malaysia’s 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

For more historical destinations, Turkey’s long relationship with the Roman and Ottoman empires is a great pick for history enthusiasts, as our Time-Travelling Itinerary Through Turkey explains.

Or closer to home, read all about how an abandoned KL cinema reinvented itself to become a hip, trendy hangout for the modern era in REXKL: From Cinematic Ruin to Bohemian Rebirth.

Links

Bernama – Erosion swallows up historic Japanese landing site at Pantai Sabak
https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1864379

The Kelantan Times – December 8, 1941: The Battle of Kuala Pak Amat !
https://muhammadismailibrahim.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/december-8-1941-the-battle-of-kuala-pak-amat/

The Kaiser’s Cross – The Japanese landings at Kota Bharu
http://www.kaiserscross.com/304501/620701.html

Go!Go! Kyorochan!!! – Japanese Cemetery and Memorial etc. in Malaysia
https://gogo-kyorochan.official.jp/volume_008/0866_japanese-memorial-malaysia/index-english.html

FMT – Where’s the respect for fallen heroes of Battle of Kampar?
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2023/02/12/wheres-the-respect-for-fallen-heroes-of-battle-of-kampar

Malaymail – Stolen ‘Battle of Kampar’ signboard in Green Ridge replaced
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2022/01/29/stolen-battle-of-kampar-signboard-in-green-ridge-replaced/2038411

Pokok Kelapa – Lata Petai Hike
https://pokokkelapa.wordpress.com/2024/08/20/lata-petai-hike/

New Straits Times – When guns boomed and tigers roared during the infamous Battle of Kampar!
https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2022/07/817996/when-guns-boomed-and-tigers-roared-during-infamous-battle

Commonwealth War Graves Commission – Labuan Memorial
https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2055400/labuan-memorial

COFEPOW – War Cemeteries: Borneo
https://www.cofepow.org.uk/war-cemeteries/borneo

ANZAC Portal – The ‘maimed and bloodstained’ group: Parit Sulong
https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/world-war-ii-1939-1945/events/japanese-advance-december-1941-march-1942/invasion-malaya/maimed-and-bloodstained-group-parit-sulong

Australia Department of Veterans’ Affairs – Visitor Brochure, Sandakan Memorial Park, Malaysia
https://www.dva.gov.au/documents-and-publications/visitor-brochure-sandakan-memorial-park-malaysia

Chinatownology – Nanyang Volunteer
https://www.chinatownology.com/Nanyang_Volunteers.html