WW 2 Memorial Park not drawing crowds despite facelift
MIRI: The World War 2 Memorial Park sited next to St Columba Kindergarten here has been given a facelift but being less known, has few tourists and visitors including locals.
The memorial park was constructed in St Columba Church cemetery in memory of 26 civilians of various nationalities executed by Japanese occupying forces at Lambir Hill on June 13, 1945.
After the war, their bodies were exhumed and placed in five large coffins and buried in common grave here.
Among the victims were an Anglican priest of St Columba’s church, Revd Lim Siong Teck, a catechist and teacher of St Columba’s School, Chong En Fui and school clerk cum church warden Joel Paul.
Another 25 victims included Shell employees, shopkeepers and government servants.
Mayor Adam Yii during site visit yesterday disclosed that the restoration of the memorial park was completed on Nov 1, 2015 under Miri Community Project undertaken by Miri City Council, St Columba’s Parish, Golden Hill Memorial Park Berhad and others.
The project contractor Golden Hill Memorial Park is expected to hand over the memorial park to the church which will hand it to the city council.
Right Reverend Solomon Cheong Sung Voon observed that the area was too dark and quiet, and he was thankful the park and other structures had not been vandalised.
Cheong who is also Assistant Bishop of Diocese of Kuching and vicar of St Columba’s Church Miri mentioned a need to look into security and beautification of the area.
Yii in his reply said they would look into the maintenance and landscaping of the area. The city council might place some chairs for people to sit on.