THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

Political Conversations, Clandestine Meetings 133
Sutan had an incredible memory, almost like a small walking archive.
He could remember the dates of all political events such as the formation
of political bodies, conflicts and wars, revolutions in Europe and new
changes in governments throughout the world. In fact, he could recall the
dates of any political event of significance. He also talked about the
misguided revolutions that had cost many lives. He warned us to be
cautious and to keep our meetings discreet and to never unwisely show
off our political knowledge. We needed to be cautious, not only against
detection by the Special Branch police, but also by intelligence agents
paid by the British to detect political activists and anti-British elements.
One crafty way agents could gain information, he said, was by ‘winning’
our confidence and then making us ‘open up’.
Most KMM (Young Malay Union) members then had little political
knowledge. Many words lectured by Sutan – such as imperialism, colonialism,
nationalism, communism, capitalism, feudalism, bourgeoisie and
opportunists – baffled them. But Sutan patiently explained them over and
over again. Luckily for me, I had learnt these terms as a member of the
Left Book Club of London.
In our lectures and political discussions, Sutan had not once suggested,
directly or indirectly, that KMM be affiliated to an Indonesian body. He
did not ever mention Melayu Raya (Greater Malaya) or Indonesia Raya
(Greater Indonesia), or that Indonesia and Malaya should become one.
In fact, he had stressed that Indonesia’s political climate differed from
Malaya’s, and what was appropriate for Indonesia need not necessarily
be good for Malaya.
I was closer to him than most KMM members. It seemed unlikely
that he did not aspire for Indonesia and Malaya to grow under one
umbrella. But he never once suggested that our political movement in
Malaya be directed towards that aim. If he mentioned Indonesia as an
example, he did not exaggerate Indonesia’s maturity and belittle Malaya’s
efforts. In short, although KMM was such a baby, he never once belittled
our anti-colonial fight and struggle for independence. We did not allow
him to attend our formal KMM meetings, but he would still come. He
was happy even if we asked him to stay outside the house as a lookout
for undesirable elements. At times, I would ask my five-year old daughter
Ayesha to play under the house. If someone were to approach the house,
she was to quickly rush upstairs to warn us. Needless to say, our cars,
motorcycles and bicycles were all parked in different places away from
the house.
In 1946, shortly after my release from British detention at the Batu
Gajah Prison, Sutan met me in Kuala Lumpur. We were cycling to some