Malaysia and India

Malaya also known as Federation of Malayan States(FMS) is the land of Dorian fruit. The dorian fruit similar to a jack fruit is having intensive odour but is very tasty .Malaya became independence in August 1957 and got its name changed to Malaysia It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories.The population of Malaya in 1947 was only around 50 lacks excluding Singapore.Around 60 percent of population in Malaya were then Malaya Muslim, and around 25percent were Chinese. Eight percent of population were Indians. Among the Indians, 90 percent were Tamilians and majority of them were rubber estate labourers, and some of the Indians particularly from North India generally called as Bengalis were in police department.

A few Nattukottai Chettiars from Cettinad owned small rubber plantations. Many Malayalies were staff in rubber plantations.The important fact that emerges is that the Tamil constitutes a great majority of the Malayan Indian population, In the state of Singapore it makes up 63% of Indians. The next numerically large groups are Malayalees, and Telugus in Malaya. In the category, other Indians are a mixed bag of Punjabis. Gujaratis, Bengalees, and others.


Thus an overwhelming majority of Indians belong to the Dravidian languages community.There were some Tamilians holding high government posts particularly in Law and Education departments. The Malays were generally agriculturist and land owners and mainly concentrated in Kampongs, In Malaya Kampongs means village .. Chinese were traders and almost all the shops and business establishments were owned by Chinese.All these three major communities maintained cordial relation , and our taxi driver was one Bawa a Malayan Muslim and several Chinese were our family friends.We took only Bawa's taxi whenever we needed a car. Bawa came all the way to Singapore to send us off when we left for India..In July 1947 , we all left for India in SS Rajula.We landed at Madras after seven days in the sea.Along with us C.R.K. Pillai and his family also travelled.

Life in Muar - Malaysia

After Japanese left Malaya there was total chaos in the country. For two months there was no governance. A small group of Chinese under the banner communist, took over the country and started killing innocents and looting the public property. As soon as the British took over, they gave priority for the security of the people. The rubber estates started functioning, and there was reshuffle of staff to different locations. Father got transferred to Pengalin Bukit Estate near Pago in Muar district in 1945.Muar was the district head quarters, a fine city with a habour. We had several Indian friendsI and my brother Sukumaran were sent to St Andrew’sSchool in Muar which was about 14 miles from Pengalan Bukit Estate. We stayed in a flat belonging to one Gopala Pillai along with two other Malayalee boys. Gopala pillai had a publishing house named "Vija brothers." in his son's name. But Vijyan had only six sisters,no brothers. Muar was a beatiful town and we children used to play base ball. There were several play ground in the town.We saw first time playing cricket. There was a ground for football. In the evening we used to sit for long in the fine well maitained beach of Muar.Ships used to harbour in the Muar harbour.

End of Japanese Malaysian Occupation.

In Ayer Manis Estate, we could not go regularly to schools. I and my brother attended classes in Tamil and Hindi.Gengadharan did not reach the school going age C.R.K.Pillai had two children Gopalakrishnan and Mohan. Now both of them settled in Singapore.. Banumathi aunty was a vocal singer well-known in Malaya those days .In 1944 Subash Chandra Boss was in Malacca. He addressed the Indians in Malacca. We all attended the meetings. I was too small to understand his speech. He spoke for a few hours. People heard him attentively. He was encouraging the young Indians to join Indian National Army to fight British.. Several young Indians joined in INA to fight against British for the independence of India. Japanese was forced to leave Malaya in 1945, after Japan was defeated by the Allied Armies.

Japanese Occupation of Malaysia

In Over valley Estate I and Sukumaram were sent to a school in Tangah.There was no transport other than cycle and bullokcart. Some bus and cars were on the roads with rear side of the vehicle fitted with coal gas generators. With coal gas the vehicles were driven. We were daily taken to the school in cycle by a Punjabi security guard of the estate. The school was three miles from home. The students were thought Japanese songs. In the morning in front of the Japanese flag we stood every day and sang Japanese national song. Then we had to rush to the field owned by the school to grow food. Teachers were Indians and Chinese. They did not study Japanese. However they all could teach Japanese letters a bit and songs. When my sister was one year old ,she was given first feeding of rice in a mosque near Jasin.This Mosque was well known and many Hindus joined with Musilm in praying.In Jasin we met one C.R.K.Pillai . He was a native of my father’s village Muthukulam. He invited my father to join in his estate as there was a vacancy of Chief Store Manager.In 1943 my father joined in the Ayer Manis Estate. Ayer Manis in Malaya is hot water.MrC.R.K.Pillai and his family was our neighbors We were in Ayer Manis till Japanese were driven out from Malaya in 1946.Many people experienced starvation during Japanese occupation. No clothes were available. Torn shirts and pants were to be used. No medicine available if one became sick.Japanese money was available in plenty. It was printed and circulated as demanded. It was called 'banana money' because banana and fruits were pictured in it. It was so cheap that salary in lacks was given.Japanese ordered to grow raagi pulses and vegetables in all estates. For a year in 1944, I and my brother were with our uncle Prabhakaran Pillai in an estate near Bathu Theekka around 20 miles away on the other side of Tangah hills. The school was walking distance from uncle’s house. We had a Tamil cook. Our uncle was a bachelor then. The single Malayan teacher in the school taught some Japanese language.The anti Japanese feeling was growing very strong in Malaya. The Malaya people’s army was formed to fight against Japanese. Many Indians very close to Japanese were killed by this army. As soon as Japanese left Malyasia, the anti Japanese army started looting. Law and order was a big problem till British army occupied Malaya.