Group hails UK's 'deep regret' over Batang Kali massacre

Summary

• An NGO welcomes the UK government’s expression of “deep regret” over the 1948 Batang Kali massacre, marking a shift from decades of denial and disinformation.

• In a letter, UK minister Catherine West acknowledges the tragedy, the pain caused, and past misleading narratives portraying victims as insurgents.

• The committee urges the statement to be recorded in the UK Parliament and proposes a memorial for the 24 victims.

An NGO has lauded the UK government’s expression of “deep regret” over the 1948 Batang Kali massacre, which overturned decades of denial over the incident.

In a statement today, the Action Committee Condemning the Batang Kali massacre said it has received a response from the UK minister of state for the Indo-Pacific, Catherine West.

The letter dated March 31 purportedly acknowledges that the killings were a tragedy that has caused deep suffering to the victims’ families.

It also acknowledged that the UK has spread “unhelpful, incorrect narratives” portraying the victims as supporters of an insurgency.

“His Majesty’s government wishes to acknowledge the pain and harm caused by these events. With the passage of time, we assess that no new inquiry would have a realistic prospect of reaching definitive conclusions about what happened in 1948.

“However, the UK deeply regrets the tragic deaths and the pain suffered by many families. We extend our sympathies to all of those affected and the wider community,” she was quoted as saying in the letter circulated by the committee.

The letter is purportedly in response to the committee’s letter to the UK foreign secretary on Sept 6 last year.

Malaysiakini has contacted the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur regarding the veracity of the letter.

‘Record it in Parliament’

Meanwhile, the committee said the minister’s letter represented a “dramatic shift” in the UK’s stance over the incident, which included denials, dismissals of it being a “bona fide mistake”, and shutting down the investigation despite sworn confessions from the British soldiers involved.

It urged for West’s statement to be formally read and recorded in the UK Parliament to ensure the truth of the incident is publicly known and permanently reflected in history.

It also proposed that the UK should fund a permanent memorial at the 24 victims’ final resting place in Ulu Yam.

“We are grateful for the British government’s acknowledgement of the Batang Kali massacre, which serves as a step toward mending historical wounds and fostering reconciliation.

“While the minister’s response is carefully phrased, we sense a genuine sincerity and humility in her approach, which will play a crucial role in facilitating the healing process and providing closure for the affected family and community,” said the committee’s coordinator, Quek Ngee Meng.

The Batang Kali massacre took place at Batang Kali, Selangor, on Dec 11 and 12, 1948, amidst the Malayan Emergency.

Soldiers from the Seventh Platoon of the Scots Guards entered the Sungai Rimoh rubber estate in Batang Kali as part of operations against communist insurgents and rounded up and killed 24 rubber tappers.

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