War-time memories

Source: "Lifestyle"-The Star- 1 May 2005

Written by: Bulbir Singh, Seremban

THERE were interesting tales in Revisiting WWII (Insight, StarMag, April 24). There is always some good and bad in any event!

I was five years old during the war but I can vividly remember watching several Japanese men on horseback riding through my parents' wooden house, from the kitchen to the main door. My mum had to grab me from their path. Had she not, I might not be telling this today!

They did not harm anyone but my mum scolded them in Punjabi. Luckily, they did not understand.

My late dad told me about the need to salute the Japanese soldiers as they passed by and if one did not, he would be in hot water.

Dad also told me that he picked up the rudiments of the Japanese language. He had to because he was a bus driver and had to interact with them as he ferried them about.

When the Japanese were about to leave Malaya, my dad tried to purchase a van from them. When they saw he had so much Japanese currency, they beat him up! Dad lived with the marks till his dying day.

I recollect the sad face of my dad when former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad showed his keenness for Japanese work ethics in the Look East Policy.

It was not that my father does not like the Japanese but he abhorred the way they treated many innocent people during the war. He said that was unwarranted and brutal.