Let Peace Flow On – 9.1 Remembrance Day
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By Admin
Peace is silent yet precious; history is invisible yet powerful. It is through the sacrifice of our forebears that we enjoy today’s harmony and security. Thus, we must remember the past and continue to pass it on — reminding future generations that history must be remembered, and peace must be protected.
September 1, 1942 — a date that must never be forgotten in Malaysia’s history of resistance against Japanese occupation. On that day, 18 Malayan anti-Japanese heroes were ambushed by some 2,000 Japanese troops at the foothills of Batu Caves and sacrificed their lives in battle.
The year 2025 marks both the 80th anniversary of the end of the Anti-Japanese War and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the “ 9.1 Remembrance Day ”. It is a year of profound significance for Malaysia’s remembrance of peace — a time to record today’s commemoration as tomorrow’s history and as a reflection for the future.
On September 14, the 2025 “ 9.1 Remembrance Day ” Ceremony was solemnly held at the Xiao En Memorial Park in Nilai. The event was co-organized by the Kelab Gecinta Malaysia, Xiao En Group, and New Era University College, with the Malaysia-China Cultural & Arts Association as a supporting partner.
Despite the scorching sun, representatives from organizing bodies, partner associations, youth groups, and local communities gathered before the Malayan Anti-Japanese Monument and the 9-1 Martyrs Memorial Monument. At 10 a.m., as the mourning music played, the entire crowd stood in silence, their thoughts drifting back through time to the fateful battle of 1942.
One by one, participants stepped forward to lay white flowers before the monument — a simple yet profound gesture of gratitude and remembrance. Each stone, etched with names of the fallen, seemed to whisper a timeless reminder: history must be remembered, and peace must be protected.
The ceremony continued with moving choral performances, honoring the courage of those who gave their lives for the nation. Later, students from New Era University College presented a stirring stage play, For Whom They Fought, reenacting the bravery and conviction of the fallen heroes — a performance that left many in the audience deeply moved.
Datin Choo Lein Sei Keng, Chairman of Xiao En Group, expressed in her foreword for the “9.1 Remembrance Day” commemorative booklet: “The 9.1 Remembrance Day was established not only to pay tribute to the heroes but also to plant a seed of values for future generations. Peace is never accidental; it is a gift nurtured through sacrifice, forgiveness, and remembrance. The purpose of building this monument was never to deepen hatred, but to remind us to cherish the heroes’ legacy, the value of peace, and the harmony we have today. History is heavy — but what we inherit is not pain, it is conviction.”
For decades, the “9.1 Remembrance Day” has been held annually at Xiao En Memorial Park — not just to honor the past, but to illuminate the future. Each bow, each retelling, is a call to the present: history must not be forgotten, and peace must be preserved. The monument stands not merely as a place of mourning, but as a beacon of reflection and inspiration.
Remembrance bridges generations. When each of us takes on the responsibility of carrying history forward, commemoration transcends ceremony — it becomes a living legacy. The participation of performers and young people ensures that history remains vivid and human, while solemn rituals remind us that remembrance is not just about the past, but a promise to the future.
May the spirits of the fallen remain honored.
May peace, hard-won and precious, endure forever.
This Original article first appeared in《 PUMEN普门 》magazine. [ Click Here ]
