TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TRIBUTE TO TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
Japanese would pass through the District, he arranged for the
Sultan and his relatives to evacuate to a specially prepared
camp at Kuala Sidim, some miles outside Kulim town. His
last words before I left to go south to the hills of Gopeng
(where my brother-in-law, the late Mr. C. A.. Rodrugues,
was in charge of the hydro-electric power-stations belonging to
French Tekkah) were bitter- "This is what they call British
Protection!"
THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
To the Tunku, as to the rest of us, the Japanese Occupation
brought much hardship; but the Tunku never lost the
respect of the Japanese to whom he was not always persona
grata, for he was transferred from Kulim at twelve hours'
notice after he opposed them on forced labour.
Shortly after I returned to Alor Star in February, 1942,
the Chief of the Kempetai sent for me. As I sat in his office
I chanced to meet a Liaison Officer, Lt. Toda, who knew the
Tunku well.
By a fortunate coincidence, my wife and I had stayed
with the Tunku's sister, Tunku Habsah, and his brother-in
law, Syed Sheh Shahabudin (now Malayan Ambassador to
Japan) when we passed through Kulim. From them 1 had
learned how the Japanese had commandeered the Tunku's car
and how University-educated Lt. Toda had retrieved it and
restored it to the Tunku.
The Kempetai Chief happening to go out for a moment.
I mentioned the incident to Lt. Toda who said, "Too bad!".
When the Kempetai Officer came in again Lt. Toda spoke
to him in Japanese. I did not understand what he said but he
must have vouched for me because he (Lt. Toda) then
turned to me and told me I could go home. I was surprised
and greatly relieved because I had expected to be browbeaten,
beaten up, and put in the lock-up. It dawned upon me that
my knowledge of the incident relating to the Tunku 's car must
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