ECHOES OF THE FALLEN RESOUND AT TUGU NEGARA ON REMEMBRANCE DAY

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 (Bernama) -- Under the quiet morning sky at the Tugu Negara, diplomats, defence representatives and members of the public gathered in solemn remembrance to honour the men and women who served in the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts.

This year’s Remembrance Day Service held special significance as it commemorated eight decades since the end of the Second World War (WWII) - a conflict that reshaped nations and tested the endurance of humanity.

The ceremony brought together Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Defence Attachés and advisors who stood shoulder to shoulder with representatives from the Malaysian Armed Forces, the Malaysian veterans’ associations, schools and local organisations. 

Together, they paid tribute to those who gave their lives in the pursuit of peace.

In his address, British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ajay Sharma CMG spoke of the courage and resilience shown by those who served.

“Remembrance is a moment to pause, to reflect on the immense courage and sacrifice of those who served in times of war and conflict, and to honour them,” he said in a statement by the high commission. 

Sharma said that as the world marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War, it is important to remember not only the fallen but also the resilience of communities and those who worked tirelessly in the pursuit of peace.

“It is a time to stand together in gratitude, to learn from the past, and to reaffirm our shared commitment to a peaceful future,” he added.

The service began with a performance by students from an international school, followed by poetic readings of war literature, including by Malaysia’s Maj Gen (Rtd) Datuk Zulkiflee Mazlan, Dulce et Decorum Est by Lt Col (Rtd) Raymond Goh and United Kingdom (UK) Defence Advisor Colonel James Green.

At the stroke of eleven, the crowd observed two minutes of silence – a poignant tribute to the lives lost and the hard-won peace that followed.

The ceremony concluded with the traditional laying of wreaths in memory of the fallen heroes. 

Remembrance Day is observed every second Sunday of November each year to honour those who served and sacrificed in the cause of freedom and peace.

-- BERNAMA