WAR STORIES: The street smart kid in WWII Malaya

 

Here is another story about World War II in Malaya as told to me by a retired Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) senior officer. One day, the retired senior officer and I were sitting at our favourite watering hole and exchanging stories when all of a sudden, he said to me, “Do you know how I got into BRNC (Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth)?” I replied, “I have no idea. You must have got some “strong cables” (the colloquial term for important political or bureaucratic connections)?” The retired RMN senior officer responded, “I have neither. I came from a very poor family. My siblings are all illiterate except for me. I owed my education and career to my eldest brother” With that, he began his story:

“Even though my oldest brother was illiterate and not educated in the scholarly sense but he was street smart. When he was in his early teens, he was already supporting the family by working odd jobs and selling all sort of things that he could find or get his hands on. When the War came to Malaya, many people suffered financially and economically. Being street smart, he was determined to support his family. He braved himself by walking into the Japanese garrison asking for work. The Japanese army officers were taken by surprise to see a young boy who dared to walk into the garrison and seeking a job. Perhaps because they were impressed with his boldness and bravery, they hired him. My brother worked as an “office boy” running errands, sweeping the floor and making drinks for the Japanese officers. Because he was a hard worker, the Japanese sometimes would give him some extra rations like cigarettes, sugar, salt and rice. My brother would then take those rations and sell them in the black market. He made some handsome returns for those rations. As time goes by the Japanese became comfortable with him and sometimes would discussed sensitive matters among themselves in my brother’s presence. My brother began to notice lately, the Japanese were always talking nervously among themselves but were polite towards him. He also noticed that the Japanese were quick in selling off their rations and personal belongings. My brother thought this was rather odd. As my brother was illiterate, he wasn’t able to read the cables and tons of papers lying on the tables of the Japanese officers. However, being street smart and trusting his own instinct, he knew something was up and his instinct tells him that the War will end soon and the Japanese will not be the ones celebrating. Taking cue from the Japanese soldiers who were selling their rations and supplies, my brother did just the opposite. He went to the local traders and bought their rations, especially tin food, sugar, salt and rice with his Japanese Government issued “banana money”. He wanted to unload all of his “banana money” as he knew that the “banana money” will be worthless once the Japanese surrenders. Not long after spending all of his “banana money”, the Japanese did surrender. All of the traders who dealt with my brother and thought they made a “killing” from the sale, had tons of worthless “banana money” with them. After the Japanese surrendered, my brother being a shrewd person, decided to sell back the rations to the traders and earned himself a huge return. After the war, he went into trading and did very well. That was how he sponsored my studies at Victoria Institution and subsequently earned myself a place at BRNC”.