29. New Additions During The Emergency

Emergency: Police Road Blocks to Prevent Movements of the Communists

During the Emergency period, father Chung Chow and mother Lee Mooi added five more new members (3 sons and 2 daughters) to the ever-growing Chung family which had grown to six at that time (father, mother, grandmother, 1 daughter and 2 sons).

 Eight of us

A month after the British declared a state of emergency in June 1948, mother Lee Mooi gave birth to her fourth child and yours truly - Chew Wah, born on July 20, 1948 and the third son in the family. The following nine years saw the births of Chew Hong, born on January 24, 1951; Chew Kiat, born on August 29, 1952; Suit Meng, born on April 8, 1954; and See Kun, born on February 14, 1957. Like the first three siblings, we were all born in the same house and attended to by the same mid-wife.

On February 1, 1948, the British Military Administration, in its efforts to change the country's political structure, announced the formation of the Federation of Malaya. Amongst the rights were automatic citizenship to be granted to anyone born in the Federation as well as their children, and citizenship to applicants who have at least 15 years of continuous residence in the Federation.

Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaiming Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

In February 1952, Lieutenant General Sir Gerard Templer arrived in Malaya to take over as new high commissioner from Sir Henry Gurney who was assassinated by Communists guerrillas. Templer declared a new approach to capture "the hearts and minds" of the general population.

Amongst the many improvements were that more Chinese would be given citizenship and be allowed to enter the Malayan Civil Service. Certain villages that were completely free of communists were designated 'white areas' where curfews and restrictions on personal movement were lifted. Over 500 communist guerillas had surrendered and the few remaining ones fled to the Thai border.

In the general election of July 1955, the Alliance of UMNO, MCA and MIC won the election convincingly. On August 31, 1957, the independence of the Federation of Malaya was proclaimed. The State of Emergency officially ended on July 31, 1960.

On August 31, 1963, Malaysia consisting of the 11 states in peninsular Malaya, Singapore, Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak was proclaimed by the Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman. Singapore seceded to become an independent state in its own right in 1965 leaving Malaysia in its present form.

Next: 30. Demise of Grandmother Wong Sui Cheng »

28. The Emergency

Police Road Block

Home Guards Check-point

While the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945) was a period of fear and deprivation, the Emergency (1948-1960) was a period of restriction and restructuring. Our parents were not directly affected as they lived in the town area. But, in the countryside, squatter areas were relocated to new villages surrounded by barbed-wire fences and guarded by soldiers and special constables. Curfews and restrictions on personal movement were imposed. The government also imposed strict measures to control the purchase, sale, storage and transport of food to ensure that supplies did not fall into communist hands.

Aulong New Village

Our maternal grandparents, who were living in the Assam Kumbang area, were relocated to one of such new settlements called Aulong New Village. They were allotted a wooden house situated at the far end of Lorong 1.

They continued with their farming activities and cultivated vegetables and some fruit trees such as the guava, soursop etc. in the vacant land next to their house. They also kept chicken, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs etc. They would sell their farm produce in the Taiping market. Grandpa Lee would ride his big bicycle to town while grandma Chang Kiew would walk and carry two small baskets filled with farm produce. These baskets were tied to both ends of a long pole which was placed over her shoulders.

I remembered that they had a very huge stud boar which service the various pig farms in the village. Mother Lee Mooi's eldest brother, who was a lorry driver, would come over to our house every 2 or 3 days to collect leftover food to be fed to the pigs.

During the school holidays, some of us would stay over at our grandparents house to experience what life in the farm is all about. It was truly a great experience and a total change from our town lifestyle. Grandma's Hakka food was delicious especially her "pillow-shaped" dumplings. 

Next: 29. New Additions During The Emergency »

27. Malayan Communist Party (MCP)

Although the communists co-operated with the British to fight the Japanese during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), they never lost sight of their aim to overthrow the British and set up a communist state in Malaya.

In 1947, a local Chinese called Chin Peng became the new hard-line secretary-general of the MCP and he began an armed and violent struggle to seize power through industrial disputes, as well as attacks on mining and estate personnel. The communists attacked police stations, derailed trains, murdered people who were against them, destroyed rubber plantations, burnt workers' houses, attacked armed convoys and forced squatters to contribute supplies of food and other necessities.

In response to this threat, the British declared a state of emergency in June 1948. During the next 12 years, known as the 'Emergency', strict measures were imposed to suppress the communists.

Next: 28. The Emergency »

26. Sole Breadwinner

Chung Chow

After the Japanese Occupation, our father Chung Chow worked as a tukang besi (as listed in our birth certificates) or trades-man skilled in working with iron such as cutting, shaping, drilling and welding them into all sorts of implements and equipment. He was also a skillful machinist or lathe-operator.

 Chung Chow standing beside

the lathe machine at Loke Woh

In the old days, most of the machine parts such as bolts and nuts had to be made by hand. His boss, Mr. Chow operated a private iron foundry cum workshop called Loke Woh situated along Barrack Road which was only a few streets away from our home in Tupai Road.

The rubber estates and tin-mines were reopened and running again and there was a big demand for trailers, tankers, machine parts, etc. He recalled visiting many of the tin-mines, and estates all over Perak to carry out his work.

Father Chung Chow worked hard and he single-handedly brought up his family on his small income. He worked in this place for over 25 years before he retired mandatory in 1975 at the age of 60. The Loke Woh building had since been demolished and in its place is a new three-storey block that houses The Erican Company.

Paper Paraphernalia

To help supplement the family income, our parents and our grandmother took over the making of paper paraphernalia and images from our great grand-uncle Ying Kau who died in 1945. These paper paraphernalia and images are used in the many Taoist rituals. It is believed that burning of these paper paraphernalia or images will reappear as the actual items in the spirit world and be available for the departed spirits to use.

Some of these paper items that our parents made include yellow paper printed with inscriptions or charms from the various deities and reproduced from wooden printing blocks. Another popular item was a print of the Cowherd and The Weaver Girl. There were also various common items such as cloths, shoes, hats, etc. which our grandmother and our mother Lee Mooi would made with their deft hands. They had cardboard templates to help trace the outline of the items on colour paper to ensure that these items were made to the same shapes and sizes. These outlines were then cut out and pasted together with a special paste concocted by our father. Father would mix tapioca flour with some water and a little alum, and cook the mixture over a small charcoal fire until it becomes a gooey paste.

While our grandmother and our mother Lee Mooi made the small items, father Chung Chow would concentrate on the big items related to Taoist funeral rites such as paper houses, gold and silver hills, bridges, lanterns, servants, cars, etc. He would spend the evenings after his regular job to make these items, and sometimes, he would work late into the night to meet a rush order. When asked, he said he learned these skills by diligently observing other craftsmen at their work.

Chinese Astrology Book

Forecasts Report

Father Chung Chow had another important skill in Taoist fortune-telling which include Chinese astrology. He probably learned this from his Taoist priest father. He was a keen reader and had many books on the subject, and he also consulted some of his friends for advice and guidance.

He was quite well-known for his services. I can recall many instances when the proprietor of Lam Thean Heong, which deals in worship and praying items, came to ask father to do the forecasts for the proprietor's clients. Working in the evenings or week-ends, it would take father two or three days to do a complete report. This report is written with a Chinese brush and black ink on bright red paper. Father would explain the contents to the client. He would then accept token payment which was usually given inside a red packet. When asked why he did not do any forecasts for us, he replied that it was better not to know, but to leave it to fate and to work hard to achieve one's success.

He was also skillful in reading the ancient Chinese almanac or T'ung Shu - The Book of Myriad Things. It is often referred to as the T'ung Sing or "Good Luck In Everything". People from all walks of life would consult him for advice regarding auspicious dates, time and directions to do certain things or activities which include business, marriages, engagements, health, prayers, construction etc.

Chung Chow, January 1995

Chung Chow, January 1995


Next 27. Malayan Communist Party (MCP) »

25. Demise of Grandfather Chan Ah Kee

Grandfather Chan Ah Kee

After the war, the British restored the medical facilities, and doctors and medicine were once more made available to the public. However, it was too late for our grandfather Chan for his health had deteriorated during the Japanese Occupation.

Permit to Bury

He died on June 12, 1947 at the age of 57. The hardships of war had also made him a poor man for he had only a dollar left in his pocket when he passed away. With the demise of our grandfather Chan, the burden of looking after the family fell solely onto the shoulders of our father Chung Chow who was then only 32.

Next: 26. Sole Breadwinner »

24. Beginning of The Second Generation

A year later, they were blessed with their first child, a daughter named Chung Sweed Cheng who was born on December 29, 1943. This is the beginning of the Chung Chow and Lee Mooi's lineage. They had nine children - five boys and four girls. It is very interesting to note that out of the nine children, eight were born in the same house and attended to by the same mid-wife. Only the last child was born in the Taiping district hospital.

Father Chung Chow and his family had moved into the house at 15 Tupai Road at about the time the Japanese invaded Malaya in 1942. They had rented the two front rooms on the ground floor. They were not the main tenants then as several more families occupied the rest of the rooms in the house. The mid-wife who attended to our mother was a very good friend of the family.

Her name was Fong Sai Mooi and she was trained at the Perak Maternity Hospital in Ipoh. She and her husband, Tuck Ong, lived in a rented room above the New World Photo Studio where our parents had their wedding photo taken. She was a very dedicated and efficient mid-wife, and her services cost about $8 to $10 then.

Two years later, brother Chu Tai was born on September 2, 1945, at about the time the war ended when the Japanese soldiers surrendered, and the British forces returned to Malaya and established the British Military Administration to restore law and order. After the British returned, there were much rebuilding and restructuring of the country damaged by the war. It was during this period that brother Chew Pheng was born on February 10, 1947.



Next: 25.Demise of Grandfather Chan Ah Kee »

23. Happy Union

Chung Chow & Lee Mooi Marriage Photo

The happy union between Chung Chow and Lee Mooi took place on August 21, 1942. Early that Friday morning, father Chung Chow, accompanied by a friend, went in a rented taxi to fetch his bride in Assam Kumbang. Mother Lee Mooi was staying with her parents in a farm house situated near the aerodrome. After a very simple ceremony, they returned to the house in Tupai Road.

Rented Taxi

There was no fanfare and no honeymoon as Japanese soldiers were everywhere. One of the signatories to witness their marriage was our grandfather's cousin, Chan Ying Kau.

Chung Chow and Lee Mooi's Marriage Certificate

This marriage certificate is one of the most treasured items that our parents had kept to this day. Father Chung Chow told me that they had four tables laid out for a wedding dinner at Kum Loong Restaurant to celebrate the occasion with relatives and friends.

Lee Mooi

Mother Lee Mooi recalled that she and father had to hide their wedding clothes while on their way to the New World Photo Studio (presently occupied by Lam Loong Photo) in Theatre Road to have their wedding photo taken. They do not want to attract any attention from the Japanese soldiers. In her haste to get to the studio, mother had forgotten to bring along her undergarments, but it did not deterred her from having that all important photo taken. After the wedding, mother said she spent most of her time inside the house, and dared not venture outside for fear of the Japanese soldiers.

A young and happy couple, Chung Chow & Lee Mooi

Chung Chow & Lee Mooi

Next: 24.Beginning of The Second Generation »

22. Happy Events During The Hardships Of War

The Chan family did not let the harsh conditions of the Japanese Occupation marred their spirit to survive and to procreate. In the midst of all the hardships, they were blessed with several happy events that occurred during this period.

The most important events were the marriage of our father Chung Chow and our mother Lee Mooi in 1942, and the births of their first child in 1943, and their second in 1945.

In August 1942, the Japanese soldiers had occupied Malaya for almost eight months. Our grandparents were very anxious that their eldest son Chung Chow, who was 27, get married and continue the family line. Back then, it was very common for the parents to arrange or match-make partners for their children. After several unsuccessful meetings with some of the local eligible ladies, our grandmother's persistence finally paid off when our father Chung Chow was introduced to our mother Lee Mooi.

Though it was not a romantic story of love-at-first-sight, they liked each other very much, and committed themselves to a lifelong union as husband and wife.

Mother Lee Mooi's parents, grandfather Lee and grandmother Chang Kiew, were Hakka and it was quite common to have cross-dialects marriages between the Cantonese and the Hakka as they came from the same southern provinces of China.

Maternal grandmother Chang Kiew.

They lived in a farm house situated along Creagh Road in Assam Kumbang. Father Chung Chow recalled that it was located somewhere between the Buddhist temple and the aerodrome in Tekka.

Location of Assam Kumbang

A young Lee Mooi.

Mother Lee Mooi was born on November 2, 1924. It was a Sunday corresponding to the Chinese 10th lunar month 6th day, Year of the Mouse. She was also known as Loke Mooi as she was the number six daughter of a very large farming family.

Palong Tin Mining

When the Japanese soldiers invaded Malaya, mother Lee Mooi had returned to Taiping from Kampar where she had worked together with her sisters as dulang-washers panning for tin ore. She recalled that she had to dress up as a boy and dirtied her face and hands so as not to attract attention from the Japanese soldiers. Whenever they hear that the soldiers were coming, they would run deep into the rubber estates to seek refuge. She was barely 18 when she married our father Chung Chow who was almost 10 years her senior.

Dulang Washers panning for tin ore

Dulang Washers panning for tin ore

Next: 23. Happy Union

21. Japanese Invasion Money

Japanese Invasion Money

When the Japanese occupied Malaya, the military launched its invasion currency at par with the prevalent British Straits currency. Penang became the first city in Malaya to be issued with Japanese Invasion Money (JIM).

Issued at the end of 1941 or early 1942, the first series of JIM for Malaya consisted of only $1, $5 and $10 notes issued by Yokohama Specie Bank, authorized by the Japanese Government. The Chinese communities were forced to pay 'tributary money' amounting to 50 million Straits dollars as a penalty for raising funds in aid of the Chinese war of resistance in the Sino-Japanese conflict. Our parents were forced to contribute to this fund.

In 1942, the Japanese released a series of 1-cent, 5-cent, 10-cent and 50-cent notes. Japan continued to plunder Malaya's rich resources of crude oil, gutta-percha and tin-ore. Even public and private structures such as metal railings, lamp posts, window grilles, bed-frames etc. were not spared. Staple foodstuff as in beans, rice, oil, sugar, became scarce and rations had to be implemented. Many were forced to subsist on tapioca and diluted rice porridge, which caused rife malnutrition. The purchases of necessary provisions such as matches, petrol, soap, etc. was regulated through ration coupons. Runaway inflation made the JIM notes, from 1-cent to $5 totally worthless.

Japanese Invasion Money, $1000

In 1944, the Japanese issued $100 and $1000 notes with the $10 notes being the lowest denomination. The wartime Japanese economy could not support a prolonged war. Faced with runaway inflation, the Japanese administration merely printed more currency notes for circulation.

When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the invasion notes were useless and were sold in trunks as waste paper. The karung-gunny Indian men carried bundles of currency notes in their baskets and paraded them in the streets. When granduncle Ying Kau passed away, they only had Japanese money to pay for the coffin. The undertaker was kind enough to waive payment for he was a very good friend of the family.

The Japanese forces in Southeast Asia officially

surrendered in Singapore on September 12, 1945

Next: 22. Happy Events During The Hardships Of War

20. Demise of Chan Keng San

Lake Gardens, Taiping

Lake Gardens, Taiping - 1900s

One of the most devastating tragedy that happened to the Chan family during the Japanese Occupation was the death of father Chung Chow's younger brother, Keng San, on November 3, 1944.

On that particular day, the Japanese authorities had organized a water festival at the Taiping Lake Gardens. Without his parents knowledge, Keng San participated in a duck-catching event in one of the lakes. Nobody knows what happened that day. When the excitement of the event died down, his body was found floating in the water. He was only eight years old. Our grandparents were so heart-broken that all of Keng San's personal items including his photographs were burned, and his name was never mentioned again.

Memorial plaque at the Buddhist temple in Assam Kumbang

Next: 21.Japanese Invasion Money