By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 27: The next generation must carry forward the lessons of the peace achieved 60 years ago and ensure that the hard-won peace continues to endure, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said the peace and stability that followed the end of the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation (1963–1966) had allowed subsequent generations to grow up without experiencing the conflict faced by their predecessors, while giving Sarawak the opportunity to pursue economic growth and improve the lives of its people.
“One generation carries the memories. The next generation must carry the lessons,” he said when launching the Australians in Sarawak: Shared Histories – Enduring Friendship, Side by Side photography exhibition here yesterday (Aug 26).
Dr Sim said young people had a responsibility not only to remember the sacrifices of those who lived through conflict, but also to build friendships across communities, cultures and countries to ensure that peace remained enduring.
“Learn from the past. Value the peace you have inherited. Build friendships across communities, cultures and countries. And when the responsibility eventually passes to your generation, make sure that you pass that peace on to the generation that follows,” he reminded.
The exhibition, organised by the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, is being held in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of peace between Malaysia and Indonesia following the Confrontation and will be open to the public at The Spring Shopping Mall here from Aug 27 to Sept 27.
Dr Sim said the exhibition offered an important reminder that behind the uniforms and historical events were real people — sons, brothers, husbands, fathers and friends — as well as local communities whose lives were affected by the conflict.
“Perhaps that is one of the greatest achievements of peace. Former adversaries can become friends. Countries can put difficult periods behind them. And new generations do not have to inherit the conflicts of previous generations,” he said.
He noted that Australia had played a significant role in Sarawak’s history, with Australians serving in Borneo during some of the region’s most difficult periods. Many were young and far from their homes and families, while some never returned.
“Their service and sacrifice are not only part of Australia’s history, but also part of Sarawak’s history,” he said.
Dr Sim said the 60 years of peace and stability had provided Sarawak with the opportunity to focus on economic growth, education, healthcare and infrastructure, as well as its ambitions for the future.
“Our veterans belong to a generation that experienced conflict personally. Our students belong to a generation that has known only peace,” he said.
He thanked Australian veterans attending the launch for their service and sacrifice and for returning to Sarawak to share their memories.
The exhibition was launched by Australian Defence Adviser to Malaysia Group Captain Belinda Edmunds alongside Dr Sim, and attended by local partners, community leaders, volunteers, Youth Peace Ambassadors and veterans from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Gurkhas.
In a media release, acting Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Simon Fellows said the exhibition told a story of partnership, reflecting a shared history that shaped not only the relationship between Australia and Sarawak, but also the Australia-Malaysia partnership that continues to thrive today.
“These photographs remind us that a longstanding friendship is built over decades and generations,” he said.
Fellows said Australia and Malaysia shared longstanding ties across defence cooperation, education, trade, investment, tourism, cultural exchange and people-to-people links.
The exhibition features historic photographs documenting Australia and Sarawak’s shared history, including Australia’s role in the liberation of Sarawak from Imperial Japanese occupation in 1945 and the early years of regional security cooperation in Borneo.
It also highlights Brigadier Tom Eastick, Commander of Kuching Force and Military Governor of Sarawak following the war, as well as the cooperation between Australian, New Zealand, British and Gurkha forces and local groups including the Iban Trackers, Border Scouts and Sarawak Constabulary.
Group Captain Edmunds said the exhibition was much more than a collection of photographs or a military history display, as it captured the human relationships forged between Australians and Sarawakians during some of the most challenging periods of the 20th century.
“While history often records conflict, the greatest achievement is peace, reconciliation and the friendship that we enjoy today,” she said.
She expressed hope that the exhibition would inspire reflection, understanding and a renewed appreciation of the enduring friendship between Australia and Sarawak.
The collective efforts highlighted in the exhibition helped create the conditions for the Malaysia-Indonesia Peace Agreement of 1966, which ended Confrontation and ushered in a new era of reconciliation and regional cooperation.
The agreement also helped lay important foundations for ASEAN and the region’s long-term stability and prosperity.
Dr Sim said the greatest tribute to those who experienced conflict was to ensure future generations could continue to live in peace.
“We honour the past not simply by remembering what happened, but by ensuring that the lessons of history are never forgotten.
“And perhaps the greatest tribute we can give to those who experienced conflict is to ensure that future generations can continue to live in peace,” he said. — DayakDaily
