| James Kon |
OVER 180 people gathered in a dawn service at the Brunei-Australia War Memorial at Muara Beach yesterday, to commemorate Anzac Day.
Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), was among the members of the military personnel who were present to pay tribute to the Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women, who fought and died in war.
Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam, Todd Mercer addressed the gathering, saying, “Anzac Day is not a commemoration of the victories or defeats of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces at war. Rather, we honour the ordinary men and women from our two countries who were prepared to make personal sacrifices, with many giving their lives, for the freedom and quality of life that we enjoy today.
“The spirit of Anzac is as relevant today to all of us, as it was all those years ago. Let us be inspired by their commitment, courage and perseverance to get through the difficult times. We should always remember that the sacrifices made by the Anzacs have contributed so much to building the foundations on which our diverse, tolerant and freedom loving societies are based.”
During the service, Dr John Subritzky, the New Zealand High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia, gave a reading of ‘In Flanders Fields’, the famous World War I poem by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih bin Abdullah and other RBAF officers in a group photo with Australian High Commis-sioner to Brunei Todd Mercer; New Zealand High Commissioner to Brunei and Malaysia Dr John Subritz-ky; Turkish Ambassador to Brunei Fikret Oguz Ates; and the Australian army at the Brunei-Australia War Memorial, Muara Beach yesterday
Todd Mercer, Australian High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam lays down a wreath for the fallen Aus-tralian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac), at the Brunei-Australia War Memorial, Muara Beach
ABOVE & BELOW: Guests taking a closer look at the old photographs on display. – PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM
In an interview, Dr Subritzky said, “Anzac Day is important to all New Zealanders, where it is the time to remember the soldiers who gave their life for the country and the world. The world that we enjoy today is due to the sacrifices that were made not only in Gallipoli, but also in the first and second world wars, as well as conflicts up to the present day.”
It is the first time that Dr Subritzky has been to Brunei to experience Anzac Day. He said, “I really like Brunei, and I do enjoy coming to the country. New Zealand and Australia both have missions in Kuala Lumpur, and we take turns in hosting Anzac Day. This year is Australia’s turn to host it in Kuala Lumpur; therefore I took the opportunity to attend Anzac Day in Brunei.”
He also lauded the well-established military relationship between New Zealand and Brunei, and hoped for lasting cooperation, through the ADMM-Plus’ Field Training Exercise on Maritime Security co-chaired by both countries, which is set to take place later this year.
During the ceremony, Fikret Oguz Ates, Turkish Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, read out a 1934 tribute to those who had died in Gallipoli, by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the first leader of modern Turkey.
Other members of the official party included Arin Sugit from the Church of Our Lady of Assumption; WGCDR Michael Cawley from the Royal Australian Air Force; and SQNLDR Robert Cato from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
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