Rashid Maidin PArt 7

(continuation of The Penang File)

7 After the war against Japan

Just after the war, life was very tough for the people. What made it worse was that the Japanese currency was so much waste paper. But their spirits were high. The towkays and the rich donated rice and other things. We cooked rice in large pans and distributed it to those who without.

We made several demands on the British. If I remember correctly, they were: -

1. Pay ten dollars for the worthless Japanese currency.

2. Give work to those who are unemployed.

3. Give medical treatment to those who are sick.

4. Send food to Malaya at once for the people.

Once, when we had a mass meeting at the Ipoh padang, the British colonialists sent senior officials from KL to threaten the people. They scolded them with “We come without rice or food, but we have brought guns and canon.”

The end of the war also saw the occurrence of unhappy incidents in inter-racial relations, especially between the Chinese and the Malays, instigated by the Japanese fascists and the British colonialists. In many places, instigated by the British colonialists. Many parang panjang units were formed against the Chinese who retaliated. The result was bloodshed. In Tanjong Tualang too, there was a parang panjang group ready to fight. I had several talks with the Malays, especially workers, explaining the cause of the trouble and why they should not fight. Thanks to the determination of all sides, the tension eased. But in some places, there was bloodshed.

In 1945 Mokhtaruddin Lasso, Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy and others set up the Malay National Party of Malaya (PKMM). That was the time when Abdullah CD and I finished our job at the propaganda unit. We concentrated on Malay work especially on the PKMM. In Perak we published he Suara Rakyat as the official organ of he PKMM. When Mokhtarudin disappeared, we moved to Kuala Lumpur and with us went Suara Rakyat.

Because of the demands of work we had two places, one at KL called Rumah Merdeka, and the other at Setapak.. My wife and children lived in Setapak. As comrades in the struggle we were very close and attended meetings together. At time the crowds were enthusiastic There were rallies on average of ten a month, and we were invited to all.

Changing clothes became a familiar routine. Indeed if I went on a commission, Abdullah CD would watch over my family. When our money ran out, he would eat bread and water with us.