THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

402 Memoirs of Mustapha Hussain
some benzin (petrol, meaning money). Had I obeyed his instructions, I
would have been detained yet again by the British. My family would have
suffered once again. Enough is enough, Ibrahim!
I was jolted from my reminiscences by the sound of a student’s sobs.
The tape went on. At 4.00 pm, Prof. Zainal Abidin reminded the audience
it was time for tea, but they refused to budge. The tape ran till 6.00 pm
when towards the close I stated, “This is history. I have told you everything
that happened in all sincerity. Let future generations make their
judgement.” The question and answer session was cut short by the
Professor, who reminded the students that I was old, feeble and would
need to rest. For a man of my age in such feeble health, taping five hours
for delivery within eighteen days was truly an achievement. I was also
told that I had broken all records as not one student had left his or her
seat. At their insistence, the seminar had lasted seven hours.
The Professor sobbed for about five minutes, watched by Shaari and
me. It was only after he had regained his composure that he ended his
thank you speech. I left them with a tremendous sense of mental and
emotional fulfilment. I had sown in these educated young souls the urge
to struggle for justice. I went back with great pride. I had been addressed
as bapa (father or a respected older man). This was very special to me, a
Malay nationalist who had missed being thus addressed since the death
of President Soekarno.
Notes
1. Ibrahim Yaakub @ IBHY @ Drs Iskandar Kamel @ I.K. Agastya.
2. Historian W.R. Roff, who conducted many interviews with Ibrahim, commented,
“Ibrahim’s own tendency to inflate KMM makes objective description difficult to
obtain.”
3. He became a Political Secretary to the Prime Minister and a member of the Perak
state executive council.