KUCHING: The parachute landing of Australia's Z Special Unit in Bario in 1945 during World War II's Operation Semut will be reenacted at Padang Merdeka here on Thursday (March 27).
State Protocol, Ceremonial and Event Management Unit (Uppan) director Datuk Hamdan Sharbini said the historical reenactment was held for the first time in Bario on Tuesday (March 25) to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the landing.
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"The committee decided to reenact the parachute landing in Kuching as well so that people will remember what happened 80 years ago," he told reporters during a rehearsal on Wednesday (March 26).
Hamdan said the event commemorated the presence of Australian troops in Bario in 1945 to help the local Kelabit community defend themselves during the Japanese occupation.
"The troops entered Bario stealthily by parachute. Eight Australian soldiers were believed to have landed at that time.
"They met the Kelabit community leaders there and instructed the locals in guerilla warfare," he said.
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He also said eight paratroopers from the Malaysian Armed Forces would take part in the reenactment, organised by Uppan with assistance from the Armed Forces, Australia's Defence Ministry and state agencies.
Several roads around Padang Merdeka will be closed from 8.30am to 11am for the reenactment on Thursday.
The affected roads are the stretch from the RTM traffic light junction towards Padang Merdeka, Jalan McDougall heading to Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg, Jalan Wawasan heading to Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg and Jalan Tun Abang Haji Openg heading to the Old Courthouse and Padang Merdeka.
Kuching OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah advised motorists not to park along the affected roads and to use alternative routes to reduce congestion.
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