Sabah adventure guide to receive MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for research on Sandakan-Ranau Death March

KOTA KINABALU: Local adventure guide Tham Yau Kong will be among the recipients of a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Queen Elizabeth II.

This award is to appreciate and honour his work in researching and preserving the spirit of the 1945 Sandakan-Ranau Death March, in which 2,434 Allied prisoners of war died.

“I am truly blessed and humbled to even be considered for this award, and to be recognised for my work alongside historians and local communities who have made this journey a success,” he said when contacted on Thursday (Feb 17).

Tham received a text message from the British High Commission a few days before the official letter was emailed to him.

In the letter dated Feb 10, 2022 it was stated that "this honour is conferred on you by Her Majesty in recognition of your services to environmental, historical and cultural conservation."

“It is unusual for recipients of honorary awards who are resident in Malaysia to have the insignia of their award presented by me, as the Queen’s representative,” said the letter signed by British High Commissioner to Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur Charles Hay.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry for eligible recipients including the British, people of the Commonwealth nations, or anyone who has made a significant achievement for the United Kingdom.

There are five ranks in the Order, from Member, Lieutenant, Commander to Knight or Dame Commander and finally Knight or Dame Grand Cross.

Tham started exploring the history of the Sandakan-Ranau Death March and its routes in 2004 with the assistance of local historians in the Sabah Society, Australian historian Lynette Silver, Sabah Tourism Board members, local communities and the Australian and British High Commissioners among others.

His research and subsequent promotion of the routes saw many trekking down the same path, including families of the prisoners of war and armed forces, especially during Anzac Day in commemoration of Australian and New Zealanders who served and died for their countries.

However, the commemoration of the death marches could not be held and Anzac Day had to be held virtually in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and border lockdowns by many countries.

“I have always worked with the Australians and only started working with the British in 2011,” he said, adding that the Australian and British High Commissions requested that he show them the route at a virtual ceremony on Aug 15, 2020.

He gave briefings on the routes, its history and other related information during these virtual events, and vowed to do more with regards to exploring and preserving Sabah's World War II history.