THE Malayan Historical Group Association (MHG) will ensure that historical World War II sites in the state continue to be preserved through efforts to put up informative signboards or historical markers in the future.

MHG chairman Shaharom Ahmad said 16 locations in Perak had been identified as having historical values that needed to be preserved to ensure they are not forgotten.

“MHG always strives to protect the historical values (of the sites) and therefore we took the initiative to install informative signboards for each Second World War historical site which could serve as an open-air museum that provides information to the public.

“So far we have installed (informative signboards) at the Kuala Dipang Bridge, the Victoria Bridge, the Sultan Iskandar Bridge in Kuala Kangsar, as well as in Teluk Intan, Chemor and Kampar which were the sites of fierce battles between British troops and the Japanese army,” he said.

He said this when met after officiating a World War II history monument at Laman Sejarah Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Kampar in conjunction with the 81st anniversary of the ‘Battle of Kampar’ at Green Ridge today.

The ‘Battle Of Kampar’ was a fierce battle between 1,500 British troops including Indian, Sikh and Gurkha soldiers who fought against 4,000 Japanese troops for four days from December 30, 1941.

The battle saw 150 British soldiers as well as 500 Japanese soldiers killed and buried in a site known as Green Ridge.

Shaharom said that MHG would conduct a detailed study involving many parties including historians before the informative signboard about the battle was installed. – Bernama, December 31, 2022.