Press conference statement, Sandakan Memorial Day

E&OE Transcript
Press conference statement
Sandakan, Malaysia

MATT KEOGH: Well, can I just say, on behalf of the Australian Government, firstly, a great thank you to the government of Sabah, Minister, also the Municipality of Sandakan for having me here today on this very special day, on Sandakan Memorial Day.

This is a day of great significance and importance to the people of Australia. It's a day that we remember not just the six Australians that managed to survive, but the two and a half thousand allied prisoners of war that perished in this camp, as well as on the Death Marches. But in particular, the thing that we take away from that is not just the lives that perished and those that survived, but also how they survived - they survived because of the great assistance that was given to them by the people of Sandakan, the people of Sabah recognising that important solidarity in their fellow human in helping the Australians that escaped, and that is a great demonstration of the enduring and strong relationship between our two nations that continues through this day across generations and across oceans, and by attending here today, it is a continuance of the great relationship between our two great countries, between the state of Sabah and the municipality of Sandakan. 

We have a sister local government in my local city of Perth in Western Australia as well. And so it's been a huge honour to attend today, I'm very grateful for the hospitality and the ability to be able to share in the commemorations today with the relatives of some of the people in the local community here that helped our Australians in the camp and those that escaped, as well as relatives of those that were in the camp and faced those atrocities back during the end of the Second World War. So I really thank everybody for having us here today. 

End

Media contact:
Stephanie Mathews (Minister Keogh’s Office): 0407 034 485
DVA Media: media.team@dva.gov.au  

Authorised by The Hon Matt Keogh MP.