Saumin Bin Gadalip @ Kaingal and Domima OKK Akoi, the local unsung heroes who rendered help to Australian Prisoners-of-War (PoWs) during the infamous 260km Sandakan – Ranau Death March in 1945 were honored on the 5th August 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Borneo Eco Tours’ Managing Director, Albert Teo led the group of 5 persons; Domima with granddaughter, Jennet Joseph Sitin and Kaingal with grandson, Fazly.

At the annual memorial service at Burwood Park, Sydney, both Kaingal and Domima became the first non-Australians honored with life membership medals by the Australian War Veterans Association in front of over one hundred invited guests. Each received an Australian War Veteran medal to signify membership of the association for life, a commemorative badge (a tribute to the strength of human spirit demonstrated by the 1066 Australian and British Prisoners of War (PoWs) who were forced to march from Sandakan to Ranau), the Sandakan Cap to commemorate the Sandakan Remembrance Service and two commemorative Australian Flag badges produced by the Memorials and Memories Division of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Kaingal helped to hide the three escapees of the death march before their eventual rescue whose stories eventually told the whole world of the Japanese atrocity while Domima helped to feed some of the soldiers enroute to Ranau. Domima’s remaining gold wedding ring given by the soldier has since intrigued her as to who that ring could have belonged to and whether she would one day be able to return that ring to the family of the soldier.

The historic trip to Australia was a collaborative effort by Borneo Exhibition and Education Group Inc, Perth (BEG Inc) led by Ryan Rowland and Joe Mclaughlin, son of the late Ted Mclaughlin, who helped set up Sandakan Memorial at Boyup Brook, and Borneo Eco Tours’ Recreation and Welfare Club of which Managing Director, Albert Teo is the Advisor. BEG Inc sponsored the costs of accommodation, meals and transportation and sightseeing tours for the two heroes and their escorts while in Australia. Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA) in Perth, Australia sponsored air tickets while a family friend donated RM500 to cover some of the expenses. Borneo Eco Tours’ Recreation and Welfare Club sponsored the air-tickets of the two escorts, passports for Kaingal, Domima and Fazly, visas, travel insurance and winter clothes for all, costing a total of more than RM5,000.

According to Albert, Borneo Eco Tours Recreation and Welfare Club is committed to support good community projects like this one by seeking out any local heroes for due recognition for acts of bravery during World War Two. It is also an opportunity to expose all the staff to community work through this project in fulfillment of our social responsibility. “With the assistance of tour guide, Adrian Chin, we were able to arrange for Kaingal and Domima and their grandchildren to make the historic trip to Sydney for the first time in their life”, said Albert.

Kaingal and Domima were obviously relishing the opportunity to visit Sydney Harbour bridge, Opera House and Blue mountains besides having a close up eye to eye contact with Australia’s icons – Kangaroo and Koala bear at Featherdale Wildlife Park. Escorted by Trish, Judy, Ryan and Joe the visit was the trip of a DREAM come true for the first time visitors. It was also a personal achievement for Ryan who made a personal request to Albert ten months ago on their first meeting to jointly organize this project.