Your Excellencies,

The British Minister of State for the Armed Forces, the Right Honourable Mr Adam Ingram MP. 

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

          Today, we are gathered here at the Kranji War Cemetery, to remember and to reflect on all those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the terrible war that ended sixty years ago. This ceremony is our sincere expression of gratitude to all the brave soldiers who lost their lives in the war that ended sixty years ago and who had been laid to rest within this Cemetery.

2       Sixty years is not a very long time in the history of some nations. But it is for Singapore. Barely a month ago, we had celebrated our 40^th National Day. We are a young nation and the passage of sixty years has seen the birth of new generations of Singaporeans who know about World War II only from the history books. Sixty years have also dimmed the memories of even the survivors who had to endure the hardship and horrors of the war and occupation. 

3       However two dates will remain etched indelibly and deeply in the history of Singapore. 

4       On February 15, 1942, some 100,000 British Commonwealth troops led by Lt-Gen Arthur E. Percival, General Officer Commanding Malaya, surrendered to the invading Japanese army of about 30,000 men commanded by Lt-Gen Yamashita Tomoyuki. Singapore fell, some 30 days ahead of the Japanese schedule, and was transformed into a hub for Japanese operational plans for the region as Syonan-to (Light of the South). The fall of Singapore was a new chapter in Singapore’s history, marked by bloodshed, misery and unimaginable suffering. But it was also a chapter marked by great sacrifice, courage and perseverance among the many who lived through that period.

5       Three years later, on September 12, 1945, Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander in SE Asia, accepted the surrender of Japanese troops in the region with the signing of the surrender document by Gen Seishiro Itagaki at the Municipal Building (City Hall) and the ceremony was followed by a parade of victorious allied troops.

Post-War Asia

6       So much has changed since 1945. Who could have foreseen that the Western powers which defeated Japan would subsequently see the collapse of their own empires in Asia?  Who could have foretold that Japan, so utterly defeated by the Allied powers, would later emerge as an economic power with wealth and influence beyond all imagination? Who could have conceivably foreseen the tectonic shifts in Southeast Asia’s geography throwing up new patterns and dramatic changes in peoples’ ideology, attitudes and nationalism over the short span of 60 years after the War?

7       Today many Singaporeans are contented to take peace and stability for granted, assuming that peace is the norm and continued prosperity is a given. This cannot be further from the truth. The pages of history are littered with bitter experiences to remind us that peace and stability are hard earned outcomes. History reminds us that even vast empires which survive for hundreds of years cannot presume to be able to last forever. Much less small city-states which face a precarious existence.  There has also been no century without war or revolution of some form or other.

8       When Singapore gained its full independence, our first generation leaders knew that this independence must be defended. One of the challenges facing this new nation was to build up our capability to defend ourselves. They established the Singapore Armed Forces and introduced National Service to defend Singapore. For if Singaporeans are not prepared to defend Singapore, then we may well lose the claim to independent existence. To remind Singaporeans, we mark February 15 every year, the day on which Singapore fell to the Japanese Imperial Army, as our Total Defense Day. This annual commemoration reminds all Singaporeans of the tragedy that could befall us if we cannot or will not defend ourselves. To remain free and to preserve our sovereignty, despite being a small city-state constrained by history and geography, we must be prepared to defend ourselves in the first instance.

9       The global environment has been largely benign and Singapore is fruitfully and peacefully engaged with all our neighbours and global partners. But we cannot presume that this peace is everlasting. The September 11 attacks in the US were the harbinger of the emergence of a new threat. International terrorism had arrived forcing each of us to make a paradigm shift in the way we deal with security threats. Subsequent incidents in Bali and Jakarta nearer home and most recently on July 7 2005 in London have brought home the danger of carnage and terror caused by terrorists. We have introduced comprehensive measures ranging from enhancing the readiness of our armed forces to stepping up our border checkpoints to strengthen our homeland security. Singaporeans are united and on alert to combat this new threat of global terrorism.

Preserving the memories

10     While the memories of the War and the horrors of the Occupation are still vivid in the minds of the survivors, we will ensure that future generations of Singaporeans appreciate and understand the heroism, hardships and sacrifices of those who had to live through this painful period of our history. It is for this reason that we have committed resources to the preservation of our WWII heritage sites at Bukit Timah, Pasir Panjang and other parts of Singapore.  We have marked these sites so as to remember those who came from many lands to defend Singapore – from Australia, Britain, Hong Kong, India, then Malaya, Nepal, New Zealand -- and also our local militia and unnamed volunteers. Many soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice in carrying out their duties. This Kranji War Cemetery honours the military casualties while the War Memorial Park in the city honours the civilians victims helping to ensure that memory of the War and occupation would not fade away with each passing year.

Moving On

11     Today’s ceremony  has a particular significance in that by the end of this decade, the ranks will be too thin and the survivors too frail for the veterans of 1945 to muster yet again – be it on the Normandy beaches in France and elsewhere or at memorials like the Kranji War Cemetery in the Asia-Pacific theatre.

12     In April this year, Japan’s Prime Minister Mr Junichiro Koizumi made a formal apology at the 50th anniversary of the Non-aligned Movement summit of Asian and African leaders in Bandung. He reiterated Japan’s apology more recently in Tokyo on August 15 2005 while at an event marking the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII. We must face history squarely so that we can move on to build a new chapter. In Singapore, we have taken pains to educate our younger generations on the lessons of the War so that we can build a better future.  

13     Today’s ceremony is important in reminding us of the tragedy of war.  This remembrance ceremony honors the sacrifice and suffering of many during the dark years of WWII. For those who lived through the war, the wounds have taken a long time to heal and the memories will not be forgotten. As we reflect on the 60^th Anniversary of the end of that war, it is time for us to heal these old wounds and to look towards strengthening peace, stability and friendly cooperation for the future.

Thank you.