Death Railway: Ships or billions?
The Japanese embassy claims that compensation was paid in the form of two ocean-going cargo ships, but Nizar Jamaluddin says the ships were for Japanese atrocities during World War II, not the ‘Death Railway’.
Lisa J. Ariffin, FMT
Confusion reigns over the compensation for Japan’s Death Railway project, with the consulate saying it has reimbursed in the form of two cargo ships while PAS’ Mohamad Nizar Jamaludin continues to pursue the RM207 billion allegation.
According to Nizar, the Japanese embassy claimed it had already fully compensated some 30,000 Malaysians once recruited as forced labour in its Death Railway project – in the form of two cargo ships “and all others”.
Japanese envoy to Malaysia Shigeru Nakamura had made this claim when approached by the Bukit Gantang MP following allegations that RM207 billion in compensation was paid a decade ago, but neither the surviving victims nor their families had received any payment.
Nizar told FMT today that during a meeting with Nakamura, the latter claimed that compensation was paid fully in the form of two ships “and all others” in 1967 and that he (Nakamura) believed “all matters pertaining to the death railway are settled”.
However, once pointed out by Nizar that the two “blood debt” ships were presented to the Malaysian government for Japanese atrocities during World War II and had “nothing to do with the Death Railway”, Nakamura promised to consult his Tokyo counterparts to determine if the allegations are true or otherwise.
“We are now waiting for confirmation of the total amount and exact amount and who had acknowledged the acceptance of the RM207 billion,” the PAS leader told FMT today.
“I have approached the Japanese embassy to find out if the allegations are true and they are committed to find out,” he added.
Finance Ministry memo
Nizar said he had obtained internal information regarding the issue from the Finance Ministry in the form of a memorandum quoting the sum of RM207 billion.
“It was a memo from the Finance Ministry mentioning they will cooperate with the Attorney-General’s Office and the Human Resources Ministry to make a Cabinet paper to approve how the particular amount shall be dispersed,” he said.
“That’s why in parliament I tried to ask the minister of finance (Najib Tun Razak). Because from the memo, I was made to understand the amount was kept in the treasury,” he added.
However, until today, there had yet to be a response from the minister.
