Daniel bade his friends farewell. He began walking to his car with a heavy heart knowing that he would miss his friends whom he has forged lasting friendships, some of them went all the way back to his primary school days. His car was parked behind the shops in Batu Road. He found his car and started its engine to drive towards the Selangor Club on his way to the the Klang Road. He saw a sea of posters depicting the various political parties of the country, pasted over all the buildings and lining the overhead cables. He thought that the slogans written on some of the posters were in bad taste as the messages in them bordered on sensitive racial lines. The country had just held its third general election since independence in 1957. As he was approaching the Selangor Club, Daniel noticed form a distance that a line of cars was being built up. He noticed some motorists started to pull off their lances and switched to different directions. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Daniel saw people with worried frightened faces running in panic in all directions. Things were happening so fast; people were running, shouting and screaming at the same time . He could not make out what has caused such a big panic. “What’s happening? I need to find out” Daniel thought to himself. He drove cautiously, avoiding the gathering crowd and stopped at the traffic lights. A taxi driver pulled up next to him. Daniel lowered his car window and enquired, “Hey, my friend, why are people running and shouting? What’s happening?”. “You better go home and stay indoors young man. There is a racial riot out there. Situation is getting really serious and out of control”, the taxi driver shouted out to Daniel. Daniel was shocked. He could not comprehend such a thing could happen in this country. At the same time, he was frightened for his own safety. There is no time to rationalize. He needs to get home! So, he tried to swerve his car to the right when he saw some pace there, but they were other drivers in his way. He saw more and more cars were being piled up. Some drivers freed themselves and came out of their cars. They abandoned their cars and started running to all different directions. Daniel was caught in a big jam in front of the Selangor Club. Everything was so chaotic. People were panicky and running helter skelter. He was stuck.
“What shall I do now”, he asks himself. I couldn’t drive with my car jammed in the middle of this pile. There is no taxi or bus to take me home. I have to walk 2 miles to catch the bus at Klang Road bus station. But it would not be safe with all the rioting going on”. Then Daniel remembered his father has a friend who worked in the Selangor Club as a cook. The Club is frequented by mostly high ranking English gentlemen and Malaysian professionals hailed mainly from the legal profession. The Selangor Club is famous for holding cricket matches. He should be safe inside with these men. He would look for his father’s friend. The cook grew up in the same Kampong as his father. He came to their house visit his father on many occasions. They would tell each other stories about their ancestors who lived in a village in China. Daniel has decided. He opened the door of his car and started running across the road towards the Selangor Club. He found the gate was wide open with no security guards in sight. Usually, the Club was heavily guarded and only members were allowed to go in. Or if not a member, he would have to be guest of a member of the Club. Perhaps these securities have run back to their families. Daniel was met by a burly English man with bushy beard and a long moustache. He must be an officer of high position. “What are you doing here young man? Do you know there is a riot out there?, the English man asked Daniel with a stern voice. You better be going home!”, he commanded. “Yes Sir, I know. But there is a racial riot out there. My car is stuck in the heap. If I go out there, I will be caught in this mayhem, Sir. That’s why I have to come in here. I have an uncle here. He is working as a cook here, Sir”, Daniel told the English gentleman. “Does he know you are here? Do you know where you can find him?” the white man asked. “Well, he is a cook, Sir. Let’s go to the kitchen”, replied Daniel naturally. The English man was extremely helpful. He showed Daniel where the kitchen was and even accompanied him to the kitchen to look for Ah Meng, the cook. They found the kitchen, but it was a quiet and deserted place. There was no one in sight. “Let’s go to the staff quarters to look for him”, the English man offered. They negotiated through some narrow corridors which ended into a small lane leading to the staff quarters which was situated at the back of the Club building. To his utter relief, Daniel found Ah Meng hidden alone in his room. Ah Meng was shivering; he looked pale with fright. “Uncle Meng!” Daniel shouted with delight. “I am caught in the riot out there. I left my car in the road. I am frightened , I can’t go home. Can I stay with you here Uncle Meng?”, Daniel pleaded. “Sure Dan, come on in. You can stay for the night”, he replied without hesitation. Cooks are some of the kindest people in this world.
Daniel and Uncle Meng hid in the small room. They switched off the lights and hid in the dark fearing that if the mob out there saw lights, they might turn on them. It was getting dark. Daniel tried to peep out of the window to steal a look at what was going on. He saw youths breaking into some shops and buildings and loitered any valuable thing they could find. They overturned cars and motor cycles with some carried gasoline and set the vehicles on fire. It was madness out there. But, Daniel did not witness anybody killing one another as rumoured by some after May 13th incident. Soon, nightfall. By then, the street was full of policemen and their armoured cars. He could see soldiers wearing red caps and black boots from the Federal Reserve Unit carrying batons and shields going into some buildings to check for arsonists. By then, all the people had gone into hiding in buildings and shop houses. Nobody dared to venture out. The army officer had used the loud speaker to inform all within hearing distance that the government had imposed curfew and anyone found loitering around could be shot on sight!
Uncle Meng offered Daniel his bed to sleep for the night while he volunteered to sleep on the floor using his mattress. Daniel declined and insisted that it was he who must sleep on the floor. He could not sleep with all the sirens, patrolling army officers with their loud speakers and sounds of fire brigades screeching to and fro. He recalls during the months leading to the General Election, political parties openly debated and fanning racial sentiments. It resulted in the return to power of the ruling Alliance Party but with a reduced majority. The ruling party comprised UMNO (United Malays National Organisation), MCA (Malaysian Chinese Assocaition) and MIC (Malayan Indian Congress). Major gains were made by two opposition parties, viz Gerakan (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) and DAP (Democratic Action Party). The May 13th incident led to a declaration of a state of national emergency and the suspension of Parliament by the Malaysian government while the National Operations Council was established to temporarily govern the country between 1969 and 1971. For decades, the citizens have lived in peace and harmony, respecting each other’s religions, cultures and traditions. They went to school, worked, played sports and engaged in a variety of social activities as friends and comrades. Daniel remembers that when he growing up in Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur, the soccer and hockey teams comprised Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians. They used to sit around in circles, drawing up their strategies on the sand against their opposing teams. Humans are not political animals; politics is only a means to get what the politicians want, be it for power, recognition, race, culture or religion. To satisfy fully the needs of one particular race would mean the dissatisfaction of other races and vice versa. It is not an easy balance to achieve. Compromise has been the key in solving problems. Compromise is a sign of strength, not weakness.
No comments:
Post a Comment