THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

232 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
six Malay officers and eighty others were executed in Beduk at the end
of February. 4 I was distraught beyond words because all six were my
friends. We KMM members did not know anything about it. Only God
knows how deep my regret was.
None of the Japanese I talked to uttered a word, and their expressions
were inscrutable. But after much pressure for an explanation, I was
finally told why. Chief Interpreter Otaguro had explained in a low voice,
“Mustapha-san, you must also understand our position. They had fought
so bravely for the British and if we were to set them free, would they
not be agents of the British stay-behind parties?” Otaguro then kept his
eyes cast downwards as he could not bear to see my face.
I later found from Lt Mohd. Desa that right to his last breath, Lt
Ariffin refused to strip off his pips. This feisty and high-spirited Malay
officer kept replying, “We Malay Regiment officers are POWs and cannot
be forced to work”, and “I refuse to follow Japanese orders. I only take
orders from my senior officers.” I dare say that Lt Ariffin was the greatest
hero of all our heroic Malay officers. I know he would not bow under
any pressure. He was also the officer who kept reminding his brother
officers not to leave their men. I believe my friend Lt Ariffin had lined
up to face Japanese executioners calmly, valiantly and with dignity. He
is truly a loyal hero.
Trap for Malay Soldiers and Volunteers
After most of the soldiers had been released and allowed to return home
in trains arranged by the Japanese, another trap was cast. Out of the
blue, there appeared an office, probably by an agent for the Police, to
lure out those in hiding. This agent was a Singaporean and not a KMM
member. News was spread that whoever reported to this office, would
be given $5 a day and a free train ticket on the day they were to leave
for home. Initially, few people reported, but when word about the $5 got
around, it was too attractive for some. Many turned up. If we ask Malay
soldiers who are still alive today, especially those who escaped this trap,
they blame the soldiers themselves for being greedy. Even those with
money reported.
As a consequence, 80 people, including a soldier’s wife from Kelantan,
were collected and handed over to the Japanese. They were all
killed. The demon responsible for concocting this plan was given a highranking
position in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation. He was
brutal and for that he was sentenced to several years’ imprisonment when
the British returned.