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Kwok, four others made to kneel and beheaded, others machine-gunned
Published on: Sunday, May 29, 2022
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Top: The memorial site in Petagas today and before (inset).
LEE Vui Leong’s relationship with the guerrillas was clarified by his wife Kong, “My husband never joined them as an active member, but he helped them whenever he could, including passing information in early 1943. I knew of my husband’s connection with the guerrillas.”

The Japanese, however, maintained that Lee Vui Leong was involved. Sergeant Major Tsuji Toyoji, who was later tried for the death of Lee Vui Leong, testified that he was ordered by his commanding officer Lieutenant Onishi.  

Lee Vui Leong’s death was one of two tragedies suffered by the Li family following the uprising. His father, Li Tet Phui, was later executed by the Japanese at Petagas. Other members of the family, including Vincent Lee Vui Min, were also tortured. Vincent Lee was given water treatment at Menggatal twice. After being transferred to Jesselton, he was interrogated, beaten, and interned for two and half months.” Chin Shen Kee, the uncle of the two younger Lees was also executed at Petagas. 

David Liew Loi Kui was probably arrested around 27 November 1943. He was first interned at the Jesselton Military Police Headquarters at the padang. 

His wife was allowed to bring him food. The sight of him must have been grim as severe beatings and torture were administered by the Japanese as part of the interrogation. After Liew was transferred to the Batu Tiga Jail on 3 December 1943, Mrs Liew was forbidden to visit him. She never saw her husband again, and was not aware of his execution at Petagas until after the end of the war.” 

After a series of interrogations during which the Japanese tried to break the spirit of those involved or implicated in the uprising, the Japanese finally concluded their investigations in mid-January 1944. 

On 20 January 1944 the Japanese decided to mete out punishments to the 300-odd prisoners who were still interned at Batu Tiga. There are conflicting accounts as to whether formal trials were held. The Japanese claimed the trials were presided over by Major General Keishin Managi, who later became the Chief of Staff of the 37th Army/59 whereas none of the other accounts, including Chong Kui Fah’s, mentioned a trial. 

On 20 January 1944 Kwok and his men were taken out to the prison compound, where they were photographed in groups of 12 and then made to squat in rows. 

In front of the prisoners were five tables, with a Japanese officer seated at each. The officers were judges brought from Kuching. Chong Kui Fah, one of the prisoners, noticed two sets of documents on the desk of the judge seated in the middle. 

An interpreter then started reading out names from one of the documents. Among those called were Kong Sze Phui, Li Tet Phui, Charles Peter, Orang Tua Panglima Ali, Orang Tua. Ongga, Sergeant Budh Singh and Jules Stephens. Apparently Kwok’s name was not among them (Chong Kui Fah 1996: 36). 

Altogether, 176 names were read out. Those whose names were called were asked to squat at another side; they were separated from the other prisoners and taken back to the prison. These were the men whom the Japanese had decided were the leaders of the guerrillas and those directly involved in the uprising. 

The previous day, those prisoners who were called had been forced to sign a document bearing statements which they were not allowed to read; these proved to be confessions of guilt.’’ 

Albert Kwok

Remains of those executed being exhumed soon after the war and placed in urns.

Before dawn on 21 January 1944, Albert Kwok and those whose names had been called were led out of the prison and put on the goods train parked outside the prison. They were transported under heavy guard to a spot near Petagas where they arrived at around 5.30 a.m. 

At the site, the men could see that two large holes had already been dug. The holes measured 60 feet long and 20 feet wide (Chin 2009: 124). According to Oho Masuo, who witnessed the execution, it had rained the previous night and the trenches were half-filled with water (Mochizuki 1995: 60).

The men knew their time was up. The cold breeze of the morning had probably chilled the men to the bone, especially when death was beckoning. 

From the accounts of the eyewitnesses, none of the men cried, neither did they ask for mercy from the Japanese. The men were probably resigned to their fate the moment they were arrested by the Japanese. The long months of cruelty meted out to them during interrogation by the Kempeitai had either numbed or hardened them against further torture or pain. It also helped them to face death without fear. 

The Japanese first selected five of the men for beheading: Albert Kwok, Kong Sze Phui, Li Tet Phui, Charles Peter and Tsen Shau Kong (Deputy Assistant District Officer of Tuaran). Although Li was known to have not been in favour of the uprising and did not have further knowledge of the whole affair as he had retired to his orchard at Telipok several days prior to the uprising, the Japanese probably convicted him for being a lieutenant in the North Borneo Volunteer Force, and a committee member of the China Relief Fund. 

Li’s position as advisor to the guerrillas and having immediate family members involved in one way or another with the guerrillas, especially Kong Sze Phui who was the deputy commander, made him a prime character in the entire venture. 


Tsen was executed for assisting the guerrillas while they were at Tuaran. Charles Peter was executed for failing to defend the police station at Jesselton and his suspected support of the guerrillas. Oho Masuo, the Japanese chief police officer, stated that some of the men were tied to crosses. It is likely that they were the five who were beheaded (Mochizuki 1995: 60). 

The other prisoners were ordered to kneel in front of the two large holes and were shot with two machine guns and about 10 other small arms. Their bodies were dumped into the holes. While most died instantly, others did not. 

As described by Oho Masuo, “Some of the men who were not shot at the first round of volleys somehow stood up again, as though they were called by someone” (Mochizuki 1995: 60). They were quickly disposed of by rifle fire. 

Others who were only wounded by the gunshots were left lingering alive in the open trenches for three days. Apparently, the groans and cries of these men could be heard in the nearby village throughout the days and nights, but no one dared to go near the spot.” The five selected for beheading were made to stand bound in a row. Behind each man stood a Japanese officer who was detailed to cut off their heads with his heavy samurai sword. 

The men were made to kneel and stripped of their shirts and beheaded. According to the eyewitness accounts, it was a gruesome sight. Charles Peter, for instance, had his neck only half severed by the Japanese officer who executed him. The Japanese took photographs of the executions, which were later found by the Allies at Beaufort (Hall 1949: 137-138). 



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