THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

226 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
24
Saving More Lives:
Courageous Fighting Malay Men
KMM members were given several orders by the Japanese, of which I
distinctly remember two. The first was to hold public gatherings to advise
frightened Singapore citizens to be calm and to obey orders set out by
the new Japanese Military Administration. This task naturally fell on Ishak
Haji Muhammad (Pak Sako), a most gifted orator, who spoke with great
ease and fluency in front of hundreds of people.
Second, KMM members were to inform Malay soldiers and volunteers
to report to Farrer Park, at a double-storey building within a fenced
compound near the Singapore Racecourse. I knew hundreds of Malay
soldiers and volunteers were hiding in several kampungs, Istana Kampung
Gelam, Sultan’s Mosque, the Warta Malaya Press office and in other
places all over the island. The injured and sick were attended to by their
colleagues. One very big group of 28 soldiers was difficult to feed, but
two mugs of rice that I boiled with several ‘coconut hearts’ helped to
satisfy their hunger.
When I heard the second order, my heart missed a beat. Something
was amiss. I knew the Japanese were clamouring for revenge against
Malay soldiers and volunteers who fought stubbornly to the end, killing
many a Japanese. Should they assemble at Farrer Park, anything could
happen. If they were not killed, they might be detained as Prisoners of
War (POWs).
I countermanded this Japanese order by asking KMM members loyal
to me to go out and warn soldiers and volunteers not to report at Farrer
Park. They must remain in hiding wherever they were until my further
orders. So, KMM members Johar bin Kerong, Baheran bin Alang Ahmad,
Mohd Rais bin Abdul Karim, Ali bin Ahmad and many others whose
names I cannot recall, roamed the island, passing on my message. Several
officers, including (now Major) Ibrahim Alla Ditta, MC and Volunteer
Capt. Salleh bin Sulaiman helped do the same. (Major Ibrahim Alla Ditta,