THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

Batu Gajah Prison 317
From Taiping, I got a free ride to Batu 20 in a lorry carrying bananas.
I arrived at my battered hut late at night. After calling out their names
several times, my eldest girl said, “Mother, that sounds like father!” For
as long as I live I cannot forget that sweet sentence. I was reunited with
my family after being imprisoned for many dreadful months. For what
and for whom?
Notes
1. Red Star over Malaya by Dr Cheah Boon Kheng (p. 230) recorded that the ‘Sungai
Manik Incidents’ happened between August 15 and September 15, 1945. The names
of the ‘caliphs’ were Imam Haji Bakri, Haji Marzuki and Haji Shukor.
2. With the help of his boss, I believe Mr R.J. Heith, Zakaria bin Abdul Raof, an
Agricultural Assistant in Sungai Manik, was released from prison.
3. Chikgu Abu Samah, from Negeri Sembilan, was a teacher at Seremban’s King George
V School before becoming Malay Regiment’s Education Officer. I knew him through
my brother-in-law, Major Ismail bin Tahar.
4. Chikgu Abu Samah’s letter read in part: “I, Chikgu Abu Samah, Malay Regiment’s
Education Officer would like to inform you that after the fall of Singapore to the
Japanese, hundreds of Malay soldiers and family members were in my care. We have
not received our salaries for two months and had no money…. Enchik Mustapha
Haji Hussain came to Istana Kampung Gelam where we were taking refuge to give
us money, rice and food which enabled us to survive until he (Mustapha) was able
to arrange our travel home to our respective villages….”