Speech by Senior Minister of State Law and Transport Mr Murali Pillai SC at Memorial Ceremony for Fallen World War II Heroes, Pardesi Khalsa Dharmak Diwan – 100th Anniversary

Mr Navin Pal Singh, President, Pardesi Khalsa Dharmak Diwan

Mr Malminderjit Singh, Chairman Sikh Advisory Board

Excellencies, the High Commissioners to Singapore of New Zealand, Australia, India, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and Canada and the representative of the High Commission of Malaysia

Distinguished guests, Sikh veterans and families, ladies and gentlemen,

1. Today we stand among the fallen heroes of war. The inscription of the Kranji War Memorial reads: “They died for all free men.”

2. They died, fighting in vicious battle, they died, slowly and painfully, as prisoners of war; they “died for all free men”, so that those who stand in sunshine and quiet, as we do this morning, will have a chance to know peace, to have a family, to build a life, and to walk where they have never been.

3. They died and so we must remember, their courage, their heroism and their sacrifice. This memorial ceremony is part of Pardesi Khalsa Dharmak Diwan’s centenary commemorations. For 100 years, this gurdwara has been a spiritual home and moral anchor for the Sikh community.

4. Today, as we stand at Kranji War Memorial, we honour the Sikh and Punjabi soldiers who fought in the Second World War and who now rest here.

5. Their graves and the names on these walls teach us that the peace is hard won. We must also learn that war is not a story of the past, but a reality of the present. Today, the world is not at peace – a few countries are already at war, others are preparing for it and still others know they must.

6. No one who lives in Singapore thinks that Singaporeans are a war-like people. I hope your excellencies who are ambassadors of your own countries feel the same. Singaporeans, using T.S. Eliot’s words, are politic, cautious and meticulous. We do business, we broker peace, we do not make war.

7. Yet in a place like this, and at times like these, we remember. We know that the only way to live in peace is to prepare for war. Each year, Singapore continues to allocate one of the highest amounts in our national budget to defence. Each generation of Singaporean males lays down two years in the prime of our lives for National Service. In primary school, each child learns “we must ourselves defend Singapore” as part of National Education, along with their numbers and letters.

8. This has personal resonance for me – before becoming a lawyer and thereafter joining politics, I served in green as an NS platoon commander in 2nd Guards Battalion and then in blue as a regular senior police officer. I saw how men and women in uniform put themselves between danger and those they protect. I spoke about them, including a fallen police colleague of mine in Parliament on the occasion of the bicentennial commemoration of the Singapore Police Force. Long before my time, Sikh soldiers and policemen walked that same path of duty in service of this land.

9. Sikh soldiers played a pivotal role in defending Malaya and Singapore during WWII, serving in the Singapore Volunteer Corps, Straits Settlement Police Force, Sikh Pioneer Corps, and the British Indian Army regiments. They held positions in the most dangerous battles – from northern Malaya to the final stand on this island. About 3,000 Sikh names are commemorated at Kranji. Each tells a story. Each represents a life cut short: each honours the Sikh tradition of courage in defence of others.

10. Those who lie here died not for particular persons, or specific causes. They died for an abstract high ideal – that men like you and I deserve to live free, to make decisions for our lives, for the rights of peoples and nations to find out their own destinies. These values unite us today.

11. Today, we make that abstract real. The soldiers’ sacrifice reaches across from 1945 to give us an anchor for our defence and our security.

12. In the Navy, one of Singapore’s early naval pioneers, Mr Jaswant Singh Gill, played an instrumental role in laying the foundations of what would become the Republic of Singapore Navy. In the Army, Major-General Ravinder Singh, Singapore’s Chief of Army from 2011 to 2014, was the first Sikh to hold this distinguished appointment. Colonel Mancharan Singh Gill, Singapore’s first Chief Artillery Officer, played a pivotal role in establishing and developing the Singapore Artillery. In the Home Team, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagjit Singh and Assistant Commissioner Jarmal Singh, have served with distinction, strengthening policing capabilities and deepening trust between the police and our diverse communities. I have had the honour of serving under both of these gentlemen.

13. These individuals represent only a fraction of the Sikh men and women who have served with commitment and excellence, both within the uniformed services and across all sectors of society. The Sikh community stands tall in service to Singapore, strengthening our security, resilience and cohesion.

14. Today, we are especially honoured to have with us Sikh SAF veterans led by Colonel Gurcharan Singh – a respected officer whose contributions and mentorship in the SAF’s early years have shaped generations of SAF leaders and engineers. I recall, Sir, that you were Commander 2 PDF when I served in 2 Guards. Your presence reminds us that the legacy of service continues - a legacy built on three core Sikh values that guide the Sikh community’s contributions to Singapore:

a. First is Chardi Kala – the spirit of optimism and resilience even in the face of adversity. This is the spirit that has attended Singapore’s journey from our independence and as we navigate a more complex and contested world.

b. Second is the “saint-soldier” ideal – cultivating spiritual and moral grounding while being prepared to act courageously to defend others and uphold justice.

c. Third is seva – selfless service. The Sikh community in Singapore has long practised this: running community kitchens, volunteering in welfare initiatives, and stepping forward in times of crisis to serve anyone in need.

15. 100 years ago, few would imagine Singapore to be the city it is today. Yet the soldiers whose names we see are etched in stones around us, were prepared to give their lives for a dream beyond their time, and a future they would never see.

16. We honour their sacrifice not just by the way we live today, but how we set the foundations for peace in the future. For those in uniform today, that means maintaining a strong and credible defence and security force, staying ready to protect our sovereignty and our way of life. For community and religious leaders, it means working tirelessly to strengthen cohesion and mutual respect across racial and religious lines. For every Singaporean, it means choosing to stand together – especially when it is difficult.

17. To the veterans, families of the fallen, and Sikh organisations that preserve these stories – Singapore extends our deepest appreciation. To PKDD and the Sikh community, your century of service has enriched Singapore and strengthened our social fabric.

18. As we bow our heads in remembrance and respect, let us also recognise this truth - that peace is not a victory won, but a war held back, by force of history and blood, with requirements that remain unrelenting, in treasure and men.

19. May the courage of these heroes guide us. May their sacrifice inspire us. And may their legacy remind us that Singapore’s strength comes, not just from treasure or men, but from the resolution and courage of all who call this place home. Thank you.

Last updated on 10 February 2026