THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

230 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
been independently recorded by Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard on page 248 of
his book Taman Budiman (A Garden of Kindness):
Haji Ibrahim (one of the prisoners in the same room as Capt. Raja Aman Shah)
told me that a tall, well-dressed Malay in civilian clothes came to Farrer Park a
few days after the surrender. He was accompanied by two Japanese officers and
by a Malay named Ibrahim Yaakub who wore a Japanese uniform and sword,
and an armband with the letter ‘F’ (which was short for Fujiwara Kikan, the
Japanese Intelligence Organisation). The Malay civilian, whom I later identified
as Mustapha bin Haji Hussain of Matang, Perak – spoke to Raja Aman Shah
alone in one corner of the room while Ibrahim Yaakub questioned three Malay
Regiment officers – Lt Ariffin, Lt Ibrahim Sidek and Lt Abdul Wahid. Mustapha
was a Perak Malay and knew Raja Aman Shah well. While they spoke quietly,
Ibrahim Yaakub criticised the Malay officers in a loud voice for fighting for
the British against the Japanese, then with a final look of hatred he turned to
the door and walked down the stairs, calling Mustapha to follow. This he
(Mustapha) did, a few moments later, with obvious reluctance.
Capt. Raja Aman Shah rejoined his fellow prisoners. “That was a friend
from Taiping”, he said. “He is in close touch with Fujiwara, the head of the
Japanese Intelligence and he promised to do everything possible to secure my
release. I told him that I wanted you all to be freed with me, but he replied that
this would be very difficult. He explained that the Japanese army was clamouring
for vengeance against members of the Malay Regiment who had resisted their
advance on the island so stubbornly and had caused them many casualties. As
he was leaving I said to him, ‘If God wills let us all be freed: if not, let us die
together.’” After a pause, Raja Aman Shah added, “My friend has gone to search
for some food, I told him that we were very hungry.” Tinned food was at a
premium in Singapore and could not be bought in the open market, but
Mustapha knew of a small stockpile, and a few hours later a car delivered two
crates of tinned sardines, the only protein that the Malay officers consumed
during the remainder of their stay at Farrer Park.
Back to my story. Ibrahim told me he would wait for me downstairs
and stomped out. I then walked towards Lt Ariffin. He still looked fit
and handsome, standing ramrod straight with his lieutenant pips still
shining on his shoulders. With his usual disarming smile, he received me
with a cynical question, “Where is your ‘F’ armband and your pistol?” I
replied, “In my pocket.” I then realised that Onan Haji Siraj had visited
and threatened them with his pistol. I tried to speak with Ariffin, my
hometown friend. We were in the same cadet corps at the King Edward
VII School, where we wore no rank and were always in the back row
during drill, as we both had no interest in things military.
As Japanese officers were with me, I told him not to touch my body
– the Japanese would not like it. I tried to explain that I came with the
hope of saving them from being detained as POWs. Unlike Capt. Raja
Aman Shah, Ariffin was not serious in listening to what I had to say.
Instead, he complained about being forced to do fatigue duty by the