THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

200 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
I continued, “We will lose a great deal if we kill ‘Number One’. Just
listen to what I have to say. We get ‘Number Two’ to go out to collect
information, and then give it to ‘Number One’ to analyse and write reports
which I will bring to you.”
I gave the interpreter all the time necessary to translate my proposal
in full. Then, silence fell. We could have heard a pin drop. Everyone was
waiting for Major Fujiwara’s decision. After what seemed like an eternity,
Major Fujiwara announced his verdict in just one word, “Yoroshi!”
(good). Hearing that, I said in my heart, “Allah, the Almighty, has saved
one of my own!”
When asked about Hashim Misai, the moustached ‘Number Three’
who had been waiting outside, I said it was not necessary to question
him. We could just use him to track anti-Japanese elements. The young
lieutenant was dissatisfied. Like a bolt of lightning, he asked, “If these
men escape, who will be responsible?” I replied that I would be, three
Malay lives against mine.
Onan was extremely disappointed with Major Fujiwara’s decision. He
had hoped for commendations for the arrests of these three top-ranking
Malay police officers. Likewise, his hopes to supplant me as KMM leader,
as I was often suffering rheumatic pains, were dashed. Immediately after
the incident, Onan got up, pulled out his pistol, twirled it like a cowboy
and pointed it in the direction of Raja Ahmed Hisham. One of the
Japanese officers told him, “Don’t do that!”
Protecting the Three CID Officers
The three detainees were brought to KMM House. Raja Ahmed Hisham
was sent to an upstairs room, while Jalaluddin was placed downstairs. A
few days later, I helped the third man escape. I pretended to ask him to
go out of the building to fetch my shoes, but whispered into his ears in
Malay, “Scram and don’t come back!”
Jalaluddin went out everyday to bring back information on communist
elements, but there was nothing really new or significant. It was just a
means to stay alive. I also asked him to visit the family of Raja Ahmed
Hisham. Sometimes, we went out together to look for food.
One night, a Dutch Martin-bomber flew just above the KMM House
along Jalan Maxwell. KMM members ran helter-skelter without any
regard for the detainees’ safety. I rushed upstairs to fetch Raja Ahmed
Hisham. I told him plainly, “My life depends on yours. If you escape, I
will lose mine!” After he vowed not to take the opportunity to escape,
we both hid under a monsoon drain culvert. Some members later com-