THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

268 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
28
KRIS (July-August 1945):
Drafting a Constitution for an Independent Malaya
In July 1945, rumours spread from mouth to mouth of severe Japanese
defeats in several arenas, especially in the Pacific theatre. These developments
jolted the Japanese into giving more thoughts towards winning
the hearts and minds of Malays in the five Malay states still intact. This
attitudinal change in approach led to the formation of Hodosho (Helpand-Guide
People Office) and KRIS (Special Strength of the People).
Before I describe my role and contribution to the two bodies, let me quote
a few observations made by Professor Yoichi Itagaki 1 in his article “Some
Aspects of Japanese Policy for Malaya under the Occupation, with Special
Reference to Nationalism”, to be followed by my own comments as a
Malay nationalist involved in both Hodosho and KRIS. According to Prof.
Itagaki, on 3 July 1945 the Japanese Administration set up Hodosho with
headquarters in Taiping. It was “for all communities” and “the duty of
Hodosho was, above all, to become humble servants of the public and
promoters of public benefits in Malaya.” Hodosho branches soon spread
to other parts of the nation.
Prof. Itagaki wrote that KRIS was derived from the Malay initials
Kekuatan Rakyat Istimewa, literally meaning Special Strength of the
People or All Out Effort of the People. 2 KRIS was a direct outcome of
the “Second Singapore Conference of Secretary-Generals of the Military
Administrations of Java, Sumatra, Celebes and Malaya on July 29, 1945.
The aim of the conference was to discuss the problem of ‘Quick
Independence of Indonesia’ and related issues. Military Administration
of Malaya had to take a necessary step for the unavoidable political
repercussions of Indonesian Independence upon the Malays in Malaya,
in view of the fact that they highly rejoiced when Malaya and Sumatra
were treated as a unit area of Military Administration immediately after
the Japanese Occupation.”
My opinion on the unification of Malaya and Sumatra is that some
Malays may have rejoiced, but to me and my KMM friends, Japanese