Light up Konfrontasi memorial in the evenings

I have noticed that the marker erected at Dhoby Ghaut Green, opposite MacDonald House, to remember the victims of Konfrontasi cannot be clearly seen in the evenings.

Whenever I walk past at dusk, I can hardly make out the engraved text on it.

There seems to be no outdoor lighting installed to illuminate the place and the surrounding shrubs and plants.

In the dark, the memorial appears to be only a few nondescript vertical marble slabs.

Members of the public and tourists tend to walk past without taking notice of it.

This is a pity.

The memorial, unveiled in March 2015, serves to remind the people and to educate the young about Konfrontasi, or confrontation, the conflict started by Indonesia which took place in the tumultuous years between 1963 and 1966.

The authorities should consider providing adequate lighting for the memorial.

If energy cost is an issue, solar panels can be used to help power the lights.

The memorial, which teaches us not to take peace for granted, is an important landmark.

Zhang Guocheng

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 14, 2017, with the headline Light up Konfrontasi memorial in the evenings. Subscribe