Batang Melaka (2)– My weekly trips to village

 

I am writing about the Emergency days 1948-1960 that provided the backbone of the anti-Japanese resistance. The communists retreated into the jungles and began a guerrilla insurgency to defeat the British colonial government, sparking a 12-year period of unrest known as the Malayan Emergency. It was originally the colonial government's term for the conflict.  

Despite the communists' surrender in 1960, communist leader Chin Peng renewed the insurgency against the Malaysian government in 1967.  This second phase of the insurgency lasted until 1989. He fled to exile in Thailand, where he lived until his death on 16 September 2013. My visits to Batang Melaka were during the time when I was the pastor of Malacca Corps (1954-1957)

I had a busy programme at my Corps in Malacca with daily tuition programme and other week night activities. Being single I had to do everything myself as the Corps was small. The teenager Ng Kim Loh was my best supporter. Joy Goh a school girl, living with her aunt whom I visited started coming to the meeting. She became a great supporter of the Corps until she moved to Singapore.

Every Thursday evening the Corps had a Holiness meeting. I could only leave Malacca early Friday morning by bus and travelled the 27 miles through terrorist infested areas. There would be police checks on the road – no food like rice, bread, salt sugar biscuits etc. The purpose was to starve the communists hiding in the jungle and villages. One day the police checked my bottle of water to see if it was salt water. Good thing it was tap water or I would be arrested.

Rice was rationed in all the villages in these areas covered by the emergency laws. No way could I take rice or bread for our officers at Batang Melaka! 

I would conduct a children’s meeting at Batang Melaka and give whatever help I could to the two English officers. I would stay the night with them and slept anywhere I could find a space even in the kitchen. Later when they were given the store on the Negri Sembilan side, I would sleep there in total darkness. One night a rat visited my ‘hostel’ to keep me company. One night it even bit my toes!

The Malay driver from Command Headquarters brought a lady officer to Batang. The lady officer slept with the Lieutenants Holden and Staples - three in a room on camp beds. The driver slept in the ‘hostel’ with me. The visiting rat, plus other insects in the middle of the night came to keep him company. He was scared, returned to Singapore and resigned from his job shortly afterwards.

I always left Batang Melaka Saturday morning for Malacca as I had an English meeting in the evening at the Corps. Also I had to prepare for Sunday’s meetings – Holiness meeting in the morning and Salvation meeting at night, plus Sunday School and open air meeting.

CHQ provided the clinic with an old Ford, really ancient. Often we had to crank the engine  to start it.  The two officers could not drive, neither could I.  One of Malacca Corps soldiers was the Branch Manager of AIA (American International Assurance) Whenever he could find time would drive to Batang to give Lieut. Irene Holden driving lessons. He was a busy man and could not visit Batang every week.

Lieutenant Holden would drive the car with an L plate and Lieutenant Staples sitting beside her as though she was the instructor! The village Police knew about this, but turned a blind eye for they were aware our officers were doing important work of healing the sick and delivering babies. The Salvation Army ministered to the people of different races and religion.  Eventually Lieutenant Irene got her driving license from Malacca! All things put right.