Landslide Along Kelantan River Uncovers WWII Bunker, Plans to Turn It Into Tourist Attraction"

KOTA BARU — A WWII-era bunker, believed to date back over 80 years to the British-Japanese period, has been uncovered after a landslide along the Kelantan River. The bunker, located near a condominium and hotel along Jalan Post Office Lama, was exposed when a large tree was uprooted on December 16.

Datuk Kamarudin Md Nor, Chairman of the State Tourism, Culture, Arts, and Heritage Committee, announced that the state government plans to preserve the site as a historical attraction. Despite repeated flooding, the bunker’s structure remains intact.

The bunker, once a military defense post during World War II, is set to become a tourist spot for visitors to learn about the area’s wartime history. Kamarudin emphasized the importance of turning the site into a place for future generations to appreciate, even if they didn’t experience the war firsthand.

The state will request the involvement of museum authorities to study the site, and the bunker will be included in plans to enhance the Kelantan River’s landscape. The aim is to make it a relaxing historical landmark for locals and tourists alike.

Local residents, including Hasbullah Deraman and Ahmad Abu Hassan, expressed surprise at the discovery, as they were unaware of the bunker’s existence, hidden behind thick undergrowth and a large tree until the landslide revealed it.