18 – Pioneering Batang Melaka
British authorities ruling Malaya after the war in 1945 had to fight the communists most of them of Chinese descent who formed the backbone of the communist guerrilla support. Some were sympathisers who actively supported the communists; others were threatened by the communists into doing so. Many innocent people were killed in the fighting.
Sir Henry Gurney, the British High Commissioner was ambushed and killed by the communists in 1951. His successor Sir Gerald Templar took tough measures and ordered the building of new villages to resettle the Chinese forcibly moved away from the communist infested areas. This was to stop the villagers from communist influence. He imposed strict curfews and tight control of food supplies to fight them. Crops grown by the communists were sprayed with herbicide. Areas freed from communist control were declared white areas and given more freedom.
About 500,000 people (roughly ten percent of Malaya’s population) were eventually moved from their homes and placed in guarded camps called New Villages. By isolating this population in the new areas, the British were able to stem the critical flow of material, information, and recruits from the people to the guerrillas. The British government also tried to win the hearts of the new settlers by providing them with education, health services and homes with water and electricity.
The Salvation Army and other churches, notably the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (formerly China Inland Mission) were invited to start work in these new villages. The Salvation Army was offered two areas – new villages near Butterworth in the north and in the state of Malacca.
In one of my visits to Singapore, Lieut. Colonel Harvey unveiled his plan to open a clinic and Corps (church) in one of the new villages near Malacca. I was tasked to make investigations.
Back in Malacca, I contacted the pastor of the Chinese Methodist Church, Rev. Lim Kiam Sam. (I often attended his church services to listen to Hokkien sermons). As the majority of people in these new villages were Chinese educated or illiterate, work had to be done in Chinese. Rev. Lim gave some very good advice, suggestions and type of ministry. I made it plain that The Salvation Army would not want to duplicate the work of other Christian churches or organizations.
The day came when Lieut. Colonel Harvey drove up to Malacca and together with Rev. Lim Kiam Sam, the three of us toured the state of Malacca and identified a few places. Representations were then made to the Resident of Malacca, Mr. Bennett. We then contacted the Chief Medical Officer of Malacca Dr. McMahon who gave us the assurance of free medical supplies to the Army.
Lieut. Colonel Harvey, at the recommendation of Rev. Lim wanted to start work in Machap Baru, but the District Officer suggested we should instead take on Batang Melaka on the Malacca/Negri Sembilan border for the need here was greater. It was more multiracial for there were Indians and Malays who also needed help although the majority were Chinese. The Army could also serve other villages in the area.
The District Officer of Jasin made arrangements for a wooden kampong Malay house on the main road available to the Army to accommodate the officers. The principal of the local Chinese school gave us a classroom to be used as a clinic.
I was instructed to get the place ready for the opening of work in Batang Melaka. I enlisted the help of a young salvationist Ng Kim Loh. We both journeyed to Batang Melaka by bus a distance of 27 miles through terrorist infested areas. We spent two days there, scrubbing, cleaning and painting the quarters. At the instruction of Headquarters two folding camp beds were purchased, the rest of the furnishings would be provided from the jumble store in Singapore. Lieut. Colonel Grey the Social Secretary felt was not necessary to buy new furniture or utensils. She herself lived a simple life. In Singapore she did not even have a kitchen. She had kerosene stove under the eaves near the back door of Command Headquarters. No cooking was done when it rained.
Lieutenant Irene Holden a nurse cum midwife and Lieutenant Norina Staples both from UK were appointed in mid 1955 to start the work in Batang Melaka. They shared one small room. In the day time the camp beds were folded up to provide space for sitting room. Near the kitchen, we got the local carpenter to put up a screen for a bathroom. The budget did not allow the construction of a door as well and to quote Lieut. Colonel Grey, “Why do they need a door when both of them are ladies? Anyway, if they don’t like to use the bathroom they can wear sarongs and have their bath at the village well down the road.” Well, the toilet – it was a little hut built on the slope of a hill and a bucket was all they had which had to be emptied daily. There was no electricity so they had to use just a kerosene lamp. I learned for the first time how to draw water from the well!
I visited Batang Melaka once a week to translate for them and also conduct YP meeting. The rest of the time, they had to depend on whoever they could get to interpret for them. Later Evelyn Tan a girl from the Singapore Girls’ Home was appointed to assist the two Lieutenants in the Corps and clinic.
Batang Melaka was designated as a ‘black area.’ That meant curfew was imposed from 7.00 p.m. till the next morning. However, our officer nurse was given exemption to go out as babies often defied emergency regulations and came during curfew hours.
The work grew despite limitations. Later when the next door tenant moved out, this section was given to the Army to be used as a clinic. We received much support from the authorities and the villagers. The Government leased land to us and the Army was able to put up a modern building.
The emergency was over in 1960, but the Army continued with medical, social and church work. The Army does not run a clinic now, but continues with Day Care centre for children and of course our church work. Nowadays it is easy for folk to go to the big towns like Malacca for medical treatment.
I thank God for the privilege of contributing my share in the pioneering work of the Army in Batang Melaka.
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