KOTA KINABALU: Close to the Sabah-Sarawak border of Lawas lies a rotting Japanese “Zero” fighter plane from World War II.
According to locals at Kampung Pa Puti, this relic is believed to have been from around 1945 during the conflict between Allied forces and the Imperial Japanese army.
A resident living near the relic, Sinawat Tandem, 84, recounts tales from elders who said that an emergency landing was made in the area because the plane was on fire.
He said Witnesses claimed to have seen two pilots escaping the plane, but no one seemed to remember what happened to the Japanese soldiers after that.
“I was told that the community later moved the wreckage to where it is now,” he said, adding the plane was once well-preserved, but some parts have since been removed or deteriorated.
Sinawat said the villagers of Kg Pa Puti hope that the Sarawak museum will preserve what is left of the plane.
He said the plane could also serve as a tourist attraction.
“This rusting plane is already drawing a significant number of visitors who are very interested in getting a glimpse of the World War II relic," he said.
On Sunday (Sept 29), Sabah Tourism, Culture, and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said she had asked the Sabah Museum Department to investigate this relic before making any decisions.
