Is There A Communist Revolution Monument In Penang?

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Pictures of a Chinese Communist Revolution Monument in Penang have gone viral, with calls from netizens to TEAR IT DOWN!

Find out what’s going on, and what the facts really are!

 

Claim : DAP Created A Communist Monument In Penang!

Pictures of a Chinese Communist Revolution Monument in Penang are being shared on Facebook and social media, with messages like this (translated into English) :

DAP created a Communist monument in Penang after they took power.

Communist monument on Flag Hill in Penang.

What are you waiting for? When are you going to tear it down?

Do You Know?

In Penang, there is a World War II memorial called the Revolution Memorial.

But it’s full of Chinese letters and the figures are all dressed as Communists.

There is absolutely no information in English or Bahasa Melayu, much less Tamil.

When people say it’s racist, [you get] angry

This monument was built as soon as DAP took over Penang from Gerakan.

Here is a selection of comments that were posted with that misleading picture, showing how it instigates hate and racial tensions :

Roboh kan semuanya,, pulau Pinang ialah tanah Melayu,,jgn lupa tu,, DAP memang haprak

Demolish it all. Penang is Malay soil. Don’t forget that. DAP is useless.

Say no to komunis DAP

Puak2 pengkhianat DAP..musoh melayu..musoh islam..

DAP are traitors, enemies of the Malays, enemies of Islam.

Robohkan Tugu peringatan pembunuh anak anak peribumi Melayu. kenapa di iarkan sebegitu rupa di mana anguta dan bekas angguta keselamatan kita boleh biarkan sebegitu rupa…Letupkan !

Destroy the memorial of the killers of Malay natives. Why is it being left like that? How can our security forces let this be? Blow it up!

 

Communist Revolution Monument In Penang : The Truth

The short version is this – the monument in the pictures exists, but it is neither a Communist monument, nor was it created or built by DAP.

All of the claims about it in the incendiary posts above are FALSE.

We would like to warn everyone to be careful of political fake news being shared to incite hatred and racial tensions.

Fact #1 : That Is The Penang Overseas Chinese Anti-War Memorial

The monument in the picture is the Penang Overseas Chinese Anti-War Memorial Park, also known as the Air Itam War Memorial Park.

It is NOT a Chinese Communist Revolution Monument.

There are two key monuments at this memorial park :

  • a bronze-coloured army supply truck being pushed by three men – memorialising the Nanyang transport volunteers from Malaya, who helped deliver supplies to China when they were blocked by the Japanese.
  • a 45-foot tall white obelisk that commemorates the Marco Polo Incident, that kicked off the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945.

The ashes of some 800 incomplete skeletons of Penang Chinese residents who died under Japanese occupation, and the Nanyang transport volunteers who died, are also buried under the obelisk.

The truck also has a number plate with the date 1939 on it. Communist China didn’t exist in 1939, so claims that this is a Communist monument is… idiotic.

Fact #2 : It Was Built In 1946 And Opened In 1951

Construction on the Penang Overseas Chinese Anti-War Memorial Park started in 1946, and it was officially opened in 1951.

DAP was only formed on 11 October 1965, so the claim that it was built when DAP gained power in Penang is false.

Because the People’s Republic of China was only established in 1949, the claim that this is a communist revolution monument is idiotic.

It is also extremely stupid to claim that the figures were dressed as Chinese Communists, because Communist China didn’t exist when the monument was being built!

Fact #3 : It Was Privately Funded

The original Penang Overseas Chinese Anti-War Memorial Park was funded entirely by the Penang China Relief Fund, a Penang-based private fundraising organisation.

It was officially opened at 11 AM on 11 November 1951 by Penang Chinese tycoon and philanthropist, Lim Lean Teng, who was the supervisory chairman of the organisation.

After the Penang China Relief Fund was dissolved in 1952, the Kong Min School was entrusted to maintain the memorial with an annual budget of $5,000, and an annual memorial service.

Fact #4 : It Was Upgraded For Its 60th Anniversary

The Board of Trustees of the Kong Min School decided to repair and upgrade the memorial to coincide with its 60th anniversary.

The RM 400,000 project also added a 60 foot-long wall relief showing Malayan transport volunteers on the Burma-China road, and a peace column with flying doves.

On top of private donations by various organisations and individuals, the Penang state government also chipped in.

When it was opened at precisely 11:11 AM on 11 November 2016 by Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, politicians from both sides of the political divide attended the launch.

Therefore, the claim that no one knew about it, or that it was only something DAP would do, is categorically FALSE.

Photo Credit : The Sun Daily

Fact #5 : There Is Information In FOUR Languages

The memorial park has information in four languages – English, Bahasa Melayu, Chinese and Japanese.

Here is the information panel in English and Bahasa Melayu, proving that the claim there is no information in both languages are FALSE.

 

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