Plans for the monument had been completed and were awaiting a decision by the Perak state government to gazette the area as a heritage site before construction of the monument begins.
The vice-president of the Malaysian Armed Forces Sikh Veterans Association, Major (Rtd) Harjit Singh Rendawa, said the site, in Rabung Hijau, Kampar, was one of the few battlefields in the Kampar vicinity that remained.
On Dec 27, 1941, to prevent the capture of the Royal Air Force base in Kuala Lumpur by the Japanese, the 11th Indian Infantry Division occupied Kampar, which offered a strong natural defensive position.
The Japanese had intended to capture Kampar as a New Year gift to Emperor Hirohito. However, they were defeated by the Allied forces.
Work on the monument would take approximately six months as the layout design has been completed, Major Harjit Singh told reporters after Remembrance Day ceremonies for the 75th Year (1941-2016) service commemoration of British and Indian troops at the National Monument here today.
The British High Commissioner, Vicki Treadell, said today’s commemoration was significant to remember those who fought for freedom and peace during the war.
“It is crucial for the present generation to know the history, besides paying their respects and remembering those who had given everything, including their lives. It is an important occasion for us to show gratitude and respect to those who suffered injuries and lost their lives,” she said.
Brig Gen S Mahendra of the Malaysian Armed Forces, said the commemoration ceremony should be carried on in years to come. “We should not forget but remember those who sacrificed their lives for us,” he said.
More than 200 representatives of various countries observed two minutes of silence in honour of the dead of the two world wars.
The Remembrance Day service was also attended by foreign ambassadors, high commissioners and defence advisers from over 20 countries including Australia, Canada, United States, France, Africa and Pakistan, as well as representatives of the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The event ended with the traditional laying of wreaths at the base of the Cenotaph in tribute to those who gave their lives.
Among the guests at the ceremony was Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin, son of the Yang Dipertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Almarhum Tuanku Munawir.