THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

362 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
36
Hawking Food (1947-52): Ibrahim’s Secret Note
Moving house to the Sunday Market facilitated my visits to Dr Burhanuddin’s
place. I continued to advise him as well as respond to letters
from Malay students in Cairo and Mecca promising support for MNP
upon their return. I did this on the quiet for fear of being driven out of
the Sunday Market or having my stall boycotted by right-wing Malays.
It was one of several reasons I named my stall Tengah Restaurant (The
Middle Restaurant). Fortunately, some friends were influential members
of the Kampung Baru Administration Committee. One state executive
council member was even willing to bring my job dismissal to the
government’s attention but nothing came of it.
Shifts in Leadership
In my effort to advance MNP’s cause, I found Dr Burhanuddin to be a
man of the people – industrious, sincere and helpful. He utilised religious
knowledge obtained in Sumatra and India for the people’s struggles.
Unfortunately, he had a major weakness. In his book, Dr Burhanuddin:
Putera Setia, Melayu Raya, Ahmad Boestamam described Dr Burhanuddin
as honesty and dignity personified, but also as too trusting. This made it
easy for ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ to penetrate the MNP. Numerous
so-called ‘friends’ were confided in that many MNP secrets leaked out
to opponents. I had advised him to be more secretive and cautious; to
avoid broadcasting his plans, which when introduced, would lack the
surprise element; to reduce recitation of holy verses in his speeches; to
focus on issues and the struggle of the people and to vary his speech
content and delivery to arouse audience interest.
As a result, without Ishak Haji Muhammad’s knowledge, efforts to
transfer the MNP leadership from Dr Burhanuddin to him got underway.
Ahmad Boestamam did not really know what moved a small group of
MNP followers to remove Dr Burhanuddin from his presidency when he
was strongly supported by nationalists all over the country. There were