28/08/2022
New Book : IF THE SKY WERE TO FALL...
Author : Gary Lit Ying Loong
Event Date : 20 August 2022, Saturday
Publisher : Gerakbudaya
Online Purchase URL: https://www.got1shop.com/goods.php?id=2668137 (Get 5% Discount by using QR Code )
Dr. Gary Lit, a retired academician from Nanyang Technological University Singapore, had his book launch at KLCC Books Kinokuniya Malaysia and attended by his old friends from near and far, as well as few historians.
This book not only exposes optimisms and dynamism of the folks in Malaya during and after war tribulations, which were pacific war invaded by British and Japanese and Malayan Emergency from 1948 to 1960 after Merdeka, most importantly, this book discloses and reveals hidden facts buried for ages, corrects and retell real life history.
When we were told British developed and modernized Malaya through rubber trees plantation, which claimed to be the main revenue generator industry and employment opportunities; in actual fact, the main income source derived was o***m. British approved, promoted, disputed and endorsed o***m by opening many o***m dents in Malaya and Singapore.
The most haunted school in Malaysia namely Kempetai HQ, which was where Lim Bo Seng and Sybil Kathegesu tortured to death, has several tunnels sealed after war. To date, the tunnels are yet to open for public. Lim Bo Seng, a prominent businessman who then involved himself in anti-Japanese activities, was tasked by British to establish Force 136. However, he was captured by Japanese and taken to Kempetai headquarters for interrogation. Refused to disclose any information about Force 136, Lim Bo Seng died of malnutrition, dysentery and torture. On the other hand,
Sybil who spoke fluent Cantonese, supplied medicines, medical services and information to the resistance forces with her husband, was also taken to Kempetai headquarters for interrogation and tortured to death.
Dr. Gary emphasized that monuments built in Penang, KL, Ipoh and Melaka in memorial of innocent victims died during Sook Ching (a mass killing occurred from 18 February to 4 March 1942 in Singapore), must be remembered. He reminded the audience that as a human being, we should forgive what the Japanese had done to our ancestors and our country but shouldn’t forget. He quoted philosopher, George Santayana ‘s famous phrase: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, as such, we are to remember the history and remind ourselves from being the same in one way or another.
The session was later running out of seats and ended with a group picture with Dr. Gary Yit.