THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

210 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
items from KMM in a book Datuk Pejuang Kebangsaan (National
Fighter), but for reasons only known to him, he chose to describe them
as ‘monkey’s amulets’.
I had taken the trouble to seek out Datuk Onn as I enjoyed reading
his incisive and far-sighted articles in the Malay press. His profile as an
outstanding Malay leader in The Straits Times Annual, 1939/1940 had
impressed me tremendously. The second time I met Datuk Onn was
together with KMM President Ibrahim Yaakub after the capitulation of
Singapore. We later recommended that the Japanese employ Datuk Onn
as Johore’s Food Controller.
Singapore Landing, 13 February 1942
The Japanese had given their all to seize Singapore and end the war on
11 February 1942, Japan’s National Founding Day for the year 2602, but
they were late by four days. Singapore was without question the most
bombed and shelled area in the war. Several oil depots including the one
on Bukum Island were still burning. The sky was dark with huge columns
of thick smoke emitting from oil tanks set ablaze by the British, no longer
aimed at retarding Japanese advance but rather to minimise Japanese
material gain. Every now and then, tongues of wild flames leaped into
the sky like giant fireworks.
I landed in Singapore the night of 13 February 1942. As I set foot on
the island, I scooped a handful of soil 1 and made a tearful vow that
Singapore would one day return to the lap of its rightful owner, the Malays.
Would it? 2 As we had walked since noon, my legs were in severe
pain, but what could I say? Sheer determination propped me up. Japanese
rejection of our demand for Independence nagged me but my
KMM friends, including my brother Yahaya (an active KMM member in
Pahang) were still in British prisons. KMM’s mission would only be
accomplished when our friends walked as free men on the streets of
Singapore. For the record, they included KMM President Ibrahim Yaakub;
Ishak Haji Muhammad (Pak Sako); Ahmad Boestamam; Abdul Karim
Rashid; Abdullah Kamil; Idris Hakim; Sutan Jenain; Abdul Samad Ahmad
and Mohamad Salehuddin.
In Kuala Lumpur I had marked ‘Xs’ on a Japanese map to indicate
locations of the two Singapore prisons, but who could be sure of anything
anymore? Some stray shells and bombs are more blind than others! I
would like to add that in Johore Baru, we took the opportunity to request
the Japanese Air Force not to bomb Malay villages and the two prisons
in Singapore.