1943 One night, father was trying to put youngest baby Ramli to sleep by reading to him comforting sentences from the Quran. There were shouts from outside asking him to open the door. Letting baby slip onto the mat he got up to see who it was. On opening the door we saw about a dozen Japanese soldiers asking him to hand over the weapon. What weapon he asked? This must have been 1943 and I was 4 years old and Ramli 2.
Mother went to the cupboard took something out and slung it through the window into the night. The soldiers shouted and scampered in the direction of the projectile with the help of flashlights. They picked it up and came back with it, the captain handed it back to my father. We do not want this telescope said he, we want the gun that you have in this house. Father protested he did not have a gun. Truth was he was scared: he had stolen the telescope from the abandoned British Army base along with a thick algebra book. It was all he could get in a mad frenzy by the villagers pilfering the British garrison near the air strip of Lalang Luas.
Not convinced that he had no gun the soldiers started ransacking our little hut and I was cowering in one corner scared. Finally satisfied there were no weapons the soldiers prepared to leave but not before placing hand cuffs to my father's wrists and dragging him along into the dark night. This was my cue: I started bawling and woke baby up as well and we bawled in unison. The soldiers stopped and the Captain barked some harsh words to one of his men. This soldier ran back in our direction and seeing this I cried even louder and my mother was shedding tears as well. The soldier took something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a 10 dollar note something I have not seen before in my existence. As if by magic I stopped crying and snatched it away from him with a sheepish grin. As soon as they have disappeared mother washed my face and i laid down to sleep with the 10 dollar note tightly held in my fist.
At first light the next day I was up and scampered to the lane in front of the hut waiting for that woman who sold cakes to come by. After a long wait she appeared and I exchanged the 10 dollar with 2 pieces of cake. I ate one and gave Ramli one. We finished it in no time. My mother did not have any, she said she was not hungry.
We waited around all day for father's return and finally towards dusk he came walking back feet sore from walking the 12 miles from the interrogation centre. He told us he was not harmed saw a few others getting the water treatment. I asked how was it that he was not harmed. he said kept reading the quran from memory and somehow that saved him.
Grandfather and uncle came over to the hut and they seemed relieved that everything was back to normal.
I cannot recall where my 2 elder brothers and sister were. I reckon there were all staying with my grandparents as mother and father did not have enough food to feed us all.
6 comments:
I am amazed you can remember that night so clearly.
Is that you standing on the second row, to the right?
Well, it's something new for me. After all these years nobody ever talked about it. I think each and everyone of us should come up with whatever memories they had, and its good if we could compile it.
About the Kampetai, it just came to my mind that, Abah used to tell a story about his expereince during the Japanese occupation. It took place somewhere near Batu 25 Machang. Abah was cycling behind a trishaw carrying Mak Mah and Mak Su Wa. Then came the Japanse soldiers, trying to disturb them, especially Mak Mah and Mak Su wa who's still in their teens. Abah retaliated with a dagger in his hand. Then one of the soldiers fired a shot at Abah. Luckily the gun misfired (it seems in those days the bullet casing are made of papers, and when it's wet, it'll never fire). The japanese soldiers were suprised and decided to leave the place.
my grandma onced told me about this one funny events somewhere in 1944 about the same time of your story where there was hardly anythin to eat... one patrol of japanese soldiers came to her kampung to scrounge for food.
when there was hardly anything left (the japanese had already took all the poultry to the nearest army camp) and what was left was tapioca.
they suddenly saw one man (from the same kampung) was carrying "ubi gajah" known well as poisonous delicacy until treated properly. This man was on the way to the nearest river to submerge the ubi gajah before it can become a palatable food so that all the poison effect will wears of from it and whats left is the ubi itself.
the japanese officer was adamant of taking the ubi back to the army camp and they both argued for some time where the man was trying to explain how dangerous it is to eat the ubi gajah without treating if first. but then, the language barrier between the kelantanese and the japs stem away any meaning between the both man and the japanese end up putting the sack of the ubi gajah at the back of the jeep.
later my grandma told me that one whole camp was sick due to their ignorance of eating the ubi gajah. rumous has it that one or two was dead due to the effect.
the next day, the japanese camp officer (didn't took the food) was furious and send another patrol to look back for the man. and they were looking foward to charge the guy for trying to kill the emperor's soldier.
luckily one imam had told the man (one that reluctantly gave the tapioca sack) to shave his hair and beard and hide in the mosque. but this japs was still keen on lookin for the man. and he entered the mosque where the man was hiding. upon meeting the guy face to face (due to the guy's new appearance), the japs couldn't tell it was the same guy that gave them the poisonous tapioca.
with the imam vouched for the man saying that it was his relatives that came from afar, the japs spare that guy's life and went back to the army camps frustrated.
later that guy escape to jertih.
it was a hair thin moment for that guy and my grandma was watching the events (the mosque was in front of her house then). she recalled that the japs was short, wide face and bald. what a story to tell!
Saudara,
Sebentar tadi saya terbaca pos ini dan mengetahui ada juga kawan yg membesar semasa zaman Jepun. Yes it is necessary that we look back at the past and as far as possible write or record the past not only for ourself but for the family as a whole. Tapi kenalah 'selongkak' kata orang Kedah setiap sudut otak kita untuk mengingati kisah-kisah lama.Gambar, perabut dl rumah dan lain-lain boleh mengingati kita kepada kejadian lama. Sdr saya percaya telah berjaya mendekati sumber itu. Taniah. Will read further yr other postings.
hey ayah weil ayi ni..
so touching tengok picture family..
arwah abah.mok,mok mek jah and ayah tar,during youngest time ayah mie,ayah lie,ayah nan.moksu raudhah and ayah weil but of course la the most handsome my father..abang ien,ha ha ha.
Now ayi in doha working with qatar airways.rgds to all and insyallah see u all during this hari coming hari raya.email ayi
sshafii@qatarairways.com.qa
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