Albert Kwok

Early life

Albert Kwok was born in 1921 in Kuching, Sarawak. His father was a dentist. In the late 1930s, he lived temporarily in China, where he learned the methods of the traditional Chinese medicine. He practised in Nanking, Hankow and Canton while another source said that Kwok earned medical skills to treat haemorrhoids in Penang Crown Colony.

A 19-year-old Kwok moved to Jesselton in 1940 as a doctor to work. His practice was very successful although he had to treat his patients with a limited supply as the stock of drugs began to decline in the beginning years of World War II. Following Japanese expansion in China, the Japanese announced a decree on 13 June 1942 with the following wording circulated:

This led Kwok to be subsequently involved in a Chinese resistance movement to defend their races and homeland where he was then came in contact with anti-Japanese activities especially with the ongoing Sino-Japanese conflict in China.

Foundation of the "Kinabalu Guerrillas"

When the Japanese arrived to Jesselton in 1943, a close friend of Kwok who is a Chinese businessman known as Lim Keng Fatt already in contact with the liaison of the Philippine guerrillas, an Imam from Sulu by the name of Marajukim. Kwok travelled with the Imam to Sulu and learned the activities of the resistance movement under the command of Filipino Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Suarez there.

In May 1943, Kwok returned to Jesselton with a high determination to liberate North Borneo. Once he arrived there, he first contacted the "Oversea Chinese Defence Association", with whose help he acquired medical equipment and cash donations for the support of the resistance in Sulu. Once again, in June 1943, he travelled with Imam Marajukim to the Philippines. Through the mediation of Suarez, he met with the representatives of the US army and was appointed Lieutenant on 1 July 1943.

Back in North Borneo, he started from 21 September 1943 with the creation of a separate group of resistance fighters under his leadership. He called the movement under the name of the "Kinabalu Guerrillas" or also known as the "Kinabalu Guerrillas Defence Force".

The senior management of his resistance group consisted of:

"Double Tenth Revolt"

While Kwok is tasked to further develop his resistance group, he managed to know the plans of the Japanese based from intelligence gatherings; according to which 2,000 young Chinese men would be forced to military service by the Japanese army, along with young Chinese women who will be used for the Japanese army comfort women. Kwok at the time only has about 100 guerrilla fighters for his resistance group, and could, moreover, expect a further 200 fighters from various indigenous ethnic groups of North Borneo.

On the eve of 10 October 1943 prior to the Chinese National Day, Kwok decide to began their attack called as the "Double Tenth Revolt" with an estimate of 300 guerrilla fighters. The attack resulting to more than 60 Japanese troops been killed mainly by machete attack. Following the success, Kwok managed to temporarily take over control of Tuaran, Menggatal and Jesselton. However as the guerrillas were ill-equipped, three days later, the reinforcement of the Japanese troops from Kuching arrived and forced them to retreat into the hills of Menggatal. Fighting continue for more than two-months with the Japanese finally decide to change their tactic by threatening to execute 400 civilians in Shantung Valley if the group did not surrender.

Execution in Petagas

Kwok along with several of the movement leaders however were detained by the Japanese shortly afterwards. He was first moved to prison in Batu Tiga and then, along with 175 others who for the most part had nothing to do with the uprising are subjected to execution order by the Japanese on 21 January 1944 in Petagas. Kwok together with four other leaders – Charles Peter, Chan Chau Kong, Kong Tze Phui, Lee Tek Phui – were executed with a beheading by katana, while the others were killed using machine guns or bayonets.

Acknowledgement

The "Petagas War Memorial" in Putatan was then built as a memorial for Albert Kwok along with other innocent victims of Japanese executions.