Online Tribute to War Heroes: The July 7th Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Ceremony

Together with 18 joint partners and 34 co-organisations, the Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Ceremony was successfully carried out today on July 7 (Wednesday). The theme: Anti-Fascist War, Sustain World Peace, is aimed at promoting the spirit of peace and anti-war.

Given the severity of the pandemic and the government’s implementation of the first phase of the National Recovery Plan, the Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Ceremony was conducted online. We sincerely invited the public to stay on our Facebook page to watch the live broadcast of the ceremony at 10 am this morning. The Facebook live broadcast received satisfying responses from viewers.

This online memorial ceremony also invited MCA President and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong and His Excellency Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia Ouyang Yujing to serve as guests of honour at the memorial ceremony and deliver speeches. Due to Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong’s official duties, MCA’s Vice President and Deputy Minister of Education Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon attended the memorial ceremony on his behalf.

The organising committee also invited YB Hannah Yeoh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Segambut, a descendant of a Nanqiao Jigong war hero, to attend as a guest of honour.

In his speech, Ngan Teng Ye, Chairman of the Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Committee and Vice President of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), specifically introduced the origins of the Nanqiao Jigong Memorial Ceremony in KLSCAH. In 1947, Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (former name of KLSCAH) was entrusted by the Selangor Ancestral Chinese Relief Committee to build the “Selangor Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics World War II Monument” in remembrance of the martyred Nanqiao Jigong war heroes.

In 1952, the Relief Committee decided to entrust the funds for the Nanqiao Jigong memorial ceremony to KLSCAH (formerly the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall). Since then, the duty to conduct the July 7th memorial events are entrusted into the hands of KLSCAH every year.

However, in 1969, when it was a difficult period for our country, Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall had to put a stop to the memorial services of Nanqiao Jigong.

It has been more than 50 years since the hiatus of the public memorial ceremonies. The Pacific War has been over for more than 70 years. With a steadier political landscape in our country and growth of unity among the rakyat, KLSCAH has decided to fulfill the responsibilities entrusted by the Relief Committee. On July 7 this year, the annual Nanqiao Jigong memorial ceremony is finally revived.

Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong hoped that KLSCAH would continue the spirit of the war heroes, continue to pass on the tradition of public memorial ceremonies, and unearth the heritage left by the Nanqiao Jigong war heroes from the forgotten pages of history.

Finally, the memorial entered the flower offering and worship ceremony. Datuk Ong Seng Khek, President of KLSCAH, led all the attendees to stand and bow one-by-one online, paying tribute to the Nanqiao Jigong who died heroically during World War II.

The public memorial ceremony finally ended at 11 am. In the face of the ongoing pandemic, KLSCAH would like to thank Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon, H.E. Ambassador Ouyang Yujing, YB Hannah Yeoh and other guests for attending, and also thank all members of the Nanqiao Jigong Committee. Much gratitude towards the hard work of the co-organisers, technical teams, Secretariat staff and others who have created a smooth and successful revival of the Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Ceremony.

THE KUALA LUMPUR & SELANGOR CHINESE ASSEMBLY HALL (KLSCAH)

7th July 2021

1.Speech by Ngan Teng Ye, Chairman of the Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Committee on July 7th:

https://klscah.org.my/en/2021/07/24228.html

2. Speech of the Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong Nanyang Truck Drivers and Mechanics War Heroes (Nanqiao Jigong) Memorial Ceremony on July 7th

https://klscah.org.my/en/2021/07/24267.html