The Battle of Malaya

by HARCHAND SINGH BEDI

Sikh troops disembarking from ships into Malaya

When the history of this titanic struggle comes to be written in mature perspective, none of its many sides will, we believe, excite more wonderment and more ungrudging admiration than the part the Sikhs soldiers have played in it.

As of December 7, 1941, the summary of the strength of the Allied army in Malaya was 86,895 troops. Two third o f the total force were Indian soldiers. Sikhs represented more than 60 percent of the total Indian force.

December 8, 1941 at 12.15 am local time, Japanese 18th Divisions troops hit the beaches of Sabak-Badang, Kota Bahru and at 4 am (Tokyo Time) Japanese 5th Divisions forces splashed ashore unopposed at Singora (now Songkhla) and Patani.

As the first disgorging invaders hit the junction of the Badang and Sabak beaches, they came under withering machine gun fire from pillboxes manned by the Indians. The invaders lost one third of their initial assault forces of 5300 men in fearful beach fighting before annihilating the Indian defenders who died in their pillbox positions, refusing either to withdraw nor to surrender.

An armoured train, with 30 men from the 2/16th Punjab Regiment and some engineers, advancing into Thailand from Padang Besar in Perlis reached Khlong Ngae, in southern Thailand, and successfully destroyed a 200 foot bridge before withdrawing back to Padang Besar.

Sikh gunners in a rubber plantation in Sahum, Kampar Perak

On December 22, the 3/2nd Punjab Regiment engineered an ambush on the Japanese at Grik Road, Perak which resulted heavy casualties on the invaders. The regiment fought fierce delaying actions against the Imperial Guards.

From December 30, 1941 to January 2, 1942, a battle between 3000 British personnel and over 6000 Japanese soldiers erupted. The 11th Indian Division managed to delay the Japanese advance at Kampar for a few days, in which the Japanese suffered severe casualties in terrain that did not allow them to use their tanks or their air superiority to defeat the British.

A Sikh company of the 1/8th Punjab Regiment throw back a furious attack with a classic bayonet charge through massive mortar and machine-gun fire. Only 30 members of the company survive the action but the position held. The Japanese lost more then 500 men here and Japanese commanders, for the first time in the war, consider retreating.

On January 30, 1942, a Sikh Battalion made an ambush on a strong Japanese party north of Kluang, Johor. The Japanese squealed with absolute panic when charged with bayonets. Sikhs captured 250 motor cycles and 150 bicycles when they charged the Japanese positions and machine-gun post. Further details of the attack made by the Sikh Battalion North of Kluang reveals that the enemy casualties numbered at least 400..Two small field guns and many mortars which were tied on their bicycles and tommy-guns were also destroyed.

During the Battle of Muar, members of both the Australian 8th Division and the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade were making a fighting withdrawal when they became surrounded near the bridge of Parit Sulong. The Allies fought the larger Japanese forces for two days until they ran low on ammunition and food. Able-bodied soldiers were ordered to disperse into the jungle, the only way they could return to Allied lines.

This photograph was found among Japanese records when 

British troops re-entered Singapore. It depicts the inhuman

brutality practised by the Japanese on Sikh prisoners of war. 

The wounded prisoners of war were kicked and beaten with rifle butts by the Imperial Guards. At least some were tied up with wire in the middle of the road, machine-gunned, had petrol poured over them, were set alight and, "after their incineration - were systematically run over, back and forwards, by Japanese driven trucks." Anecdotal accounts by local people also reported POWs being tied together with wire and forced to stand on a bridge, before a Japanese soldier shot one, causing the rest to fall into the Simpang Kiri River and drown. 110 Australians and 35 Indians were massacred by the Japanese. In the face of death, the Sikh prisoners sat with dignity.

History speaks for itself on the valour and bravery displayed by the Sikhs. The never-say-die spirit of the Sikhs gave us the impetus and inner strength and resilience to face any challenges that came our way. Sikh soldiers adhered to the faith and never flinched nor surrendered in the face of adversity.

Reference: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/history-of-sikhism/30494-the-battle-of-malaya.html

Conversation about this article

1: Jarnail Singh (North Carolina, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 5:45 AM.

The British, Australians and Americans have made epic movies about the war in Malaya - but they all depict themselves as heroes ... and not a mention of the Sikh soldiers who bore the brunt of it all! The West is so adept at rewriting history and usurping the glory of others!

2: Surinder (Massachusetts, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 11:06 AM.

Am I the only one who sees an irony here? The Sikhs went on to fight for the British, they won Burma, China, SE Asia, Turkey, Iraq, North Africa ... and in Europe. All for the glory of the British and British security and British independence. But when time came in 1947, the same Sikhs could not protect their own land, houses, women, hearth and had to flee from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala. Cities of their ancestors became enemy territory instantly. You talk of conquering the world, but could not protect your own earth and women and children? When a Sikhni became Fatima Bibi, where was this mighty Sikh army, full of unrelenting courage and valour?

3: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 1:39 PM.

I believe Surinder ji is looking from the results point of view for Sikhs. When other parties (all the countries including India for which Sikhs fought) became selfish and not thankful for the sacrifices of Sikhs. No one can stop them. These people are, to use a Punjabi word - akiratghan. A good recent example will be the 1984 Sikh holocaust. These people keep on changing history. Unless and until Sikhs bring the truth out to the world through the media, movies and books and by stopping to fight amongst themselves, no one can help. Sikhs have all the resources but they need to use them in this direction.

4: Chintan Singh (San Jose, California, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 3:31 PM.

I have a similar question as Surinder ji. What has happened to us in the recent past? Where have we lost our spirit and saroop? We are the sons and daughters of Guru Gobind Singh and our ancestors fought for Malaya, Singapore, Britain, France, Scotland and India but we could not protect ourselves in 1947 and 1984? Forget about protecting ourselves, despite this glorious heritage, why did we become so hostile to our co-citizens? Furthermore, today when the whole world is becoming globalised, we are becoming isolated and we cannot even keep our own youth motivated with our own history and preserve our heritage? What has gone wrong with us? Where is our spirit of Chardi Kalaa? How do we re-align ourselves with our Guru?

5: Harjit Singh (Perth, Australia), May 20, 2010, 7:56 AM.

Surinder, Sikhs were not there in 1947? Are you joking, mate? I think you might need to read up on your history because you are just about to learn something! Out of 121 patriots hanged for fighting in India's freedom struggle, 93 were Sikhs. Of the 2626 awarded life-imprisonment 2147 were Sikhs. Of the 1300 martyred in Jallianwala Bagh, 799 were Sikhs. Considering that the Sikhs were hardly 1.5 per cent of the total population of India at the time, their sacrifices amounted to 90 per cent of the total sacrifices made by ALL Indians. Where were they, Surinder? They were fighting openly and dying openly, but when the time came for the Sikhs to be given equal status, the politicians looked the other way and rewrote the history to not include these facts. We were betrayed!

6: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 11:56 AM.

Again, Surinder ji, please watch the movie GANDHI which was released almost three decades ago. That movie shows the scene of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. As Harjit Singh mentioned, out of 1300 killed there, 799 were Sikhs. But the movie dilutes - and at times completely ignores - the Sikh involvement in that incident, and in others depicted throughout the movie. History is being changed in front of our very eyes and our 'leaders' are doing nothing, because all they want is personal power.

7: Surinder (Massachusetts, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 1:40 PM.

The comment section of articles is too limiting a place to put forth an argument. (Maybe sikhchic.com can allow me to write an article?) [Editor: We're always open to considering articles by our readers.] Forget about 1984, let us not clutter the issue here. Of course, I know that Sikhs were disproportionately higher in the number of freedom fighters. But also note that a very large number of Sikhs enrolled in the colonial army. Not once, but twice - World War I & II. They essentially fought somebody else's wars. Wars that had little, if any, to do with issues that mattered to them. The result is that hundreds of thousands of Sikhs were soldiers for the British crown, defending Britain and its interests. Within two years of the end of World War II, Partition of India an d Punjab took place. Muslim mobs on the streets cleansed Western Punjab and drove the Sikhs out. They took over our gurdwaras, including the holiest of our holy places like Nankana Sahib. About a million people were killed; 10 million were forced to quit their homes; hundreds of thousands of women were brutalised. Where were these brave soldiers at that time? Those who had shown gallantry in Malaya, Singapore, Italy, Belgium, North Africa, were nowhere to be seen when Rawalpindi and Lahore had Sikhs lying butchered on the streets. I am sorry to have posed a question which has made many uncomfortable. But ask yourself, what good is this bravery? If people like the British have fooled you, who is the fool, really?

8: Dya Singh (Melbourne, Australia), May 21, 2010, 12:50 AM.

I commend Harchand Singh Bedi on the effort he has put into uncovering all this amazing proud history of Sikhs in the old Malaya. I met Harchand a few days ago and was amazed at the wealth of photographs and information he has on Sikh 'military' history. I have also read some of the letters above ... it is up to us (Sikhs) to keep highlighting the 'qurbaani' of Sikhs around the globe, immaterial whether they fought "someone else's" war, etc. The fact is they carried out deeds of valour, of daring, of sheer bravery - to inspire our generation and future generations through greater knowledge of our proud heritage. Harchand also holds impressive exhibitions of Sikh military history. His exhibition is soon (in September) to be held at various venues in the United Kingdom. I am hoping to get him to do similar exhibitions in Australia where we 'know' that Sikhs fought alongside the Australian/ New Zealand forces at places like Gallipoli (Turkey, WW1) which has led to Australia's Anzac Day celebrations and commemoration in April every year. This man has a great exhibition which every Sikh youth, child and elder should see. Shabash, Harchand, for all your efforts.

9: Yashdeep Singh (Ahmedabad, India), May 21, 2010, 9:45 AM.

I think that the main reason for Sikhs being killed in Jallianwala Bagh, and again in '84, is our loyalty to our country. And yes, we should be loyal; doing bad to someone is not in our blood. Sikhs actively took part in WW1 and WW2 because we knew that it was to protect the soldiers' "karmabhoomi". We sometimes couldn't protect ourselves because of lack of unity. I remember that when the shoe-throwing issue of S. Jarnaul Singh was in the news, at that time I saw sum Sikhs sitting behind Jagdish Tytler as his supporters. It is a known fact that the whole Sikh world is against Tytler, so for what reason were those Sikhs doing there? Doesn't the lack of unity seem to be here?

10: Ian Grantham (Sydney, Australia), November 23, 2010, 8:27 AM.

I can understand how frustrated Sikhs may be. One day I would like to make an actual account of what happened day by day in the Second World War, and NOT from a special perspective - the truth would be absorbing and as to yet, I think, remains unpublished! As an Australian, I am proud of our achievements and upset with the preponderance of U.S. material which distorts the facts. Many Pacific battles were fought and won by Aussie personnel but the U.S. got the credit in order to keep them in the war - I feel the Sikhs and other Indians have in the same way been left out of the accolades that are rightfully theirs! P.S. No one believes what you say if you are not from the U.S.A., so we NEED contemporary facts to back up what we say - e-mail me if you would like and let's start to build a machine that gives facts and truth and dispels popular myth!

The Battle of Malaya

by HARCHAND SINGH BEDI

Sikh troops disembarkimg from ships into Malaya

When the history of this titanic struggle comes to be written in mature perspective, none of its many sides will, we believe, excite more wonderment and more ungrudging admiration than the part the Sikhs soldiers have played in it.

As of December 7, 1941, the summary of the strength of the Allied army in Malaya was 86,895 troops. Two third o f the total force were Indian soldiers. Sikhs represented more than 60 percent of the total Indian force.

December 8, 1941 at 12.15 am local time, Japanese 18th Divisions troops hit the beaches of Sabak-Badang, Kota Bahru and at 4 am (Tokyo Time) Japanese 5th Divisions forces splashed ashore unopposed at Singora (now Songkhla) and Patani.

As the first disgorging invaders hit the junction of the Badang and Sabak beaches, they came under withering machine gun fire from pillboxes manned by the Indians. The invaders lost one third of their initial assault forces of 5300 men in fearful beach fighting before annihilating the Indian defenders who died in their pillbox positions, refusing either to withdraw nor to surrender.

An armored train, with 30 men from the 2/16th Punjab Regiment and some engineers, advancing into Thailand from Padang Besar in Perlis reached Khlong Ngae, in southern Thailand, and successfully destroyed a 200 foot bridge before withdrawing back to Padang Besar.

Sikh gunners in a rubber plantation in Sahum, Kampar Perak

On December 22, the 3/2nd Punjab Regiment engineered an ambush on the Japanese at Grik Road, Perak which resulted heavy casualties on the invaders. The regiment fought fierce delaying actions against the Imperial Guards.

From December 30, 1941 to January 2, 1942, a battle between 3000 British personnel and over 6000 Japanese soldiers erupted. The 11th Indian Division managed to delay the Japanese advance at Kampar for a few days, in which the Japanese suffered severe casualties in terrain that did not allow them to use their tanks or their air superiority to defeat the British.

A Sikh company of the 1/8th Punjab Regiment throw back a furious attack with a classic bayonet charge through massive mortar and machine-gun fire. Only 30 members of the company survive the action but the position held. The Japanese lost more then 500 men here and Japanese commanders, for the first time in the war, consider retreating.

On January 30, 1942, a Sikh Battalion made an ambush on a strong Japanese party north of Kluang, Johor. The Japanese squealed with absolute panic when charged with bayonets. Sikhs captured 250 motor cycles and 150 bicycles when they charged the Japanese positions and machine-gun post. Further details of the attack made by the Sikh Battalion North of Kluang reveals that the enemy casualties numbered at least 400..Two small field guns and many mortars which were tied on their bicycles and tommy-guns were also destroyed.

During the Battle of Muar, members of both the Australian 8th Division and the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade were making a fighting withdrawal when they became surrounded near the bridge of Parit Sulong. The Allies fought the larger Japanese forces for two days until they ran low on ammunition and food. Able-bodied soldiers were ordered to disperse into the jungle, the only way they could return to Allied lines.

This photograph was found among Japanese records when 

British troops re-entered Singapore. It depicts the inhuman

brutality practiced by the Japanese on Sikh prisoners of war. 

The wounded prisoners of war were kicked and beaten with rifle butts by the Imperial Guards. At least some were tied up with wire in the middle of the road, machine-gunned, had petrol poured over them, were set alight and, "after their incineration - were systematically run over, back and forwards, by Japanese driven trucks." Anecdotal accounts by local people also reported POWs being tied together with wire and forced to stand on a bridge, before a Japanese soldier shot one, causing the rest to fall into the Simpang Kiri River and drown. 110 Australians and 35 Indians were massacred by the Japanese. In the face of death, the Sikh prisoners sat with dignity.

History speaks for itself on the valour and bravery displayed by the Sikhs. The never-say-die spirit of the Sikhs gave us the impetus and inner strength and resilience to face any challenges that came our way. Sikh soldiers adhered to the faith and never flinched nor surrendered in the face of adversity.

Reference: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/history-of-sikhism/30494-the-battle-of-malaya.html

Conversation about this article

1: Jarnail Singh (North Carolina, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 5:45 AM.

The British, Australians and Americans have made epic movies about the war in Malaya - but they all depict themselves as heroes ... and not a mention of the Sikh soldiers who bore the brunt of it all! The West is so adept at rewriting history and usurping the glory of others!

2: Surinder (Massachusetts, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 11:06 AM.

Am I the only one who sees an irony here? The Sikhs went on to fight for the British, they won Burma, China, SE Asia, Turkey, Iraq, North Africa ... and in Europe. All for the glory of the British and British security and British independence. But when time came in 1947, the same Sikhs could not protect their own land, houses, women, hearth and had to flee from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala. Cities of their ancestors became enemy territory instantly. You talk of conquering the world, but could not protect your own earth and women and children? When a Sikhni became Fatima Bibi, where was this mighty Sikh army, full of unrelenting courage and valour?

3: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 1:39 PM.

I believe Surinder ji is looking from the results point of view for Sikhs. When other parties (all the countries including India for which Sikhs fought) became selfish and not thankful for the sacrifices of Sikhs. No one can stop them. These people are, to use a Punjabi word - akiratghan. A good recent example will be the 1984 Sikh holocaust. These people keep on changing history. Unless and until Sikhs bring the truth out to the world through the media, movies and books and by stopping to fight amongst themselves, no one can help. Sikhs have all the resources but they need to use them in this direction.

4: Chintan Singh (San Jose, California, U.S.A.), May 19, 2010, 3:31 PM.

I have a similar question as Surinder ji. What has happened to us in the recent past? Where have we lost our spirit and saroop? We are the sons and daughters of Guru Gobind Singh and our ancestors fought for Malaya, Singapore, Britain, France, Scotland and India but we could not protect ourselves in 1947 and 1984? Forget about protecting ourselves, despite this glorious heritage, why did we become so hostile to our co-citzens? Furthermore, today when the whole world is becoming globalized, we are becoming isolated and we cannot even keep our own youth motivated with our own history and preserve our heritage? What has gone wrong with us? Where is our spirit of Chardi Kalaa? How do we re-align ourselves with our Guru?

5: Harjit Singh (Perth, Australia), May 20, 2010, 7:56 AM.

Surinder, Sikhs were not there in 1947? Are you joking, mate? I think you might need to read up on your history because you are just about to learn something! Out of 121 patriots hanged for fighting in India's freedom struggle, 93 were Sikhs. Of the 2626 awarded life-imprisonment 2147 were Sikhs. Of the 1300 martyred in Jallianwala Bagh, 799 were Sikhs. Considering that the Sikhs were hardly 1.5 per cent of the total population of India at the time, their sacrifices amounted to 90 per cent of the total sacrifices made by ALL Indians. Where were they, Surinder? They were fighting openly and dying openly, but when the time came for the Sikhs to be given equal status, the politicians looked the other way and rewrote the history to not include these facts. We were betrayed!

6: Gurjender Singh (Maryland, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 11:56 AM.

Again, Surinder ji, please watch the movie GANDHI which was released almost three decades ago. That movie shows the scene of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. As Harjit Singh mentioned, out of 1300 killed there, 799 were Sikhs. But the movie dilutes - and at times completely ignores - the Sikh involvement in that incident, and in others depicted throughout the movie. History is being changed in front of our very eyes and our 'leaders' are doing nothing, because all they want is personal power.

7: Surinder (Massachusetts, U.S.A.), May 20, 2010, 1:40 PM.

The comment section of articles is too limiting a place to put forth an argument. (Maybe sikhchic.com can allow me to write an article?) [Editor: We're always open to considering articles by our readers.] Forget about 1984, let us not clutter the issue here. Of course, I know that Sikhs were disproportionately higher in the number of freedom fighters. But also note that a very large number of Sikhs enrolled in the colonial army. Not once, but twice - World War I & II. They essentially fought somebody else's wars. Wars that had little, if any, to do with issues that mattered to them. The result is that hundreds of thousands of Sikhs were soldiers for the British crown, defending Britain and its interests. Within two years of the end of World War II, Partition of India an d Punjab took place. Muslim mobs on the streets cleansed Western Punjab and drove the Sikhs out. They took over our gurdwaras, including the holiest of our holy places like Nankana Sahib. About a million people were killed; 10 million were forced to quit their homes; hundreds of thousands of women were brutalized. Where were these brave soldiers at that time? Those who had shown gallantry in Malaya, Singapore, Italy, Belgium, North Africa, were nowhere to be seen when Rawalpindi and Lahore had Sikhs lying butchered on the streets. I am sorry to have posed a question which has made many uncomfortable. But ask yourself, what good is this bravery? If people like the British have fooled you, who is the fool, really?

8: Dya Singh (Melbourne, Australia), May 21, 2010, 12:50 AM.

I commend Harchand Singh Bedi on the effort he has put into uncovering all this amazing proud history of Sikhs in the old Malaya. I met Harchand a few days ago and was amazed at the wealth of photographs and information he has on Sikh 'military' history. I have also read some of the letters above ... it is up to us (Sikhs) to keep highlighting the 'qurbaani' of Sikhs around the globe, immaterial whether they fought "someone else's" war, etc. The fact is they carried out deeds of valour, of daring, of sheer bravery - to inspire our generation and future generations through greater knowledge of our proud heritage. Harchand also holds impressive exhibitions of Sikh military history. His exhibition is soon (in September) to be held at various venues in the United Kingdom. I am hoping to get him to do similar exhibitions in Australia where we 'know' that Sikhs fought alongside the Australian/ New Zealand forces at places like Gallipoli (Turkey, WW1) which has led to Australia's Anzac Day celebrations and commemoration in April every year. This man has a great exhibition which every Sikh youth, child and elder should see. Shabash, Harchand, for all your efforts.

9: Yashdeep Singh (Ahmedabad, India), May 21, 2010, 9:45 AM.

I think that the main reason for Sikhs being killed in Jallianwala Bagh, and again in '84, is our loyalty to our country. And yes, we should be loyal; doing bad to someone is not in our blood. Sikhs actively took part in WW1 and WW2 because we knew that it was to protect the soldiers' "karmabhoomi". We sometimes couldn't protect ourselves because of lack of unity. I remember that when the shoe-throwing issue of S. Jarnaul Singh was in the news, at that time I saw sum Sikhs sitting behind Jagdish Tytler as his supporters. It is a known fact that the whole Sikh world is against Tytler, so for what reason were those Sikhs doing there? Doesn't the lack of unity seem to be here?

10: Ian Grantham (Sydney, Australia), November 23, 2010, 8:27 AM.

I can understand how frustrated Sikhs may be. One day I would like to make an actual account of what happened day by day in the Second World War, and NOT from a special perspective - the truth would be absorbing and as to yet, I think, remains unpublished! As an Australian, I am proud of our achievements and upset with the preponderance of U.S. material which distorts the facts. Many Pacific battles were fought and won by Aussie personnel but the U.S. got the credit in order to keep them in the war - I feel the Sikhs and other Indians have in the same way been left out of the accolades that are rightfully theirs! P.S. No one believes what you say if you are not from the U.S.A., so we NEED contemporary facts to back up what we say - e-mail me if you would like and let's start to build a machine that gives facts and truth and dispels popular myth!

Gandhi speaks!

Boom boom paw!

11.2.11 saw many KLites going to work blurry-eyed and blood-shot eyes after tossing and turning sleeplessly in beds the night before. It was not because of something they ate or something that was in the air! It was because their Hockkein fellow citizens decided to display their annual piety by openly fulfilling their religious obligations in the open at an unearthly hour accompanied by a nocturnal barrage of TNT and explosive fireworks, oblivious that their act was a nuisance to the non-Hockkeins and non-Chinese. Yeah, everyone knew by then that it was the 8th day of Chinese New Year and the eve of the birth of the Jade Empress, which was celebrated with much pomp and splendour. In the spirit of tolerance, festivities and religion, nobody said anything.
It is funny how homosapiens rationalise their every action and tradition by their needs and environmental requirements, and availability - try getting coconut in Kashmir or Las Vegas for prayers! So, no need for coconut in Eskimo land or desert land for Hindu religious prayers.

The firecrackers...

They insist that firecrackers were essential for the lunar celebrations and were imperative to rid of evil spirits that were lurking to spoil your whole year. But we were doing quite okay in the post Emergency era and the time when the communist terrorist threat was real. Firecrackers were banned then as they could be mistaken for bullets fire-shots. Suddenly, as we get more affluent and peaceful, all these trivial ancient traditions have become more critical and indispensable.

Loud ear-drum shattering, high decibel vibrations of fire-crackers can disturb the psyche of any organism - babies will wail their heads off, a moribund sick patient may just tip over to the afterlife, make a dog or any fierce beast in submission with their tails between their hind legs. Hence, in old wild China, during the lunar festivities, to make it safe for the people to go out and enjoy the celebrations, away from prying wild animals along the village paths, somebody must have successfully tried letting out some crackers to keep them at bay. Over time, it became a tradition to burn crackers during CNY to keep away 'evil spirits".

On Yee Sang...

Another tradition that seems to have given the prominence of late is Yee Sang's practice, where friends and relatives get together to toast a dish of shredded fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts for good luck on the 6th day of CNY. As we know, this practice started in the early 20th century in the most impoverished part of southern China, where times were terrible, food was scarce, famine was everywhere, and people were leaving their families and motherland for greener pastures. After merrymaking in the name of tradition for a good 5 days, the practical souls decided to put their leftovers - bits of fish, turnips, etceteras - into good use. Again this practice was extrapolated to foster friendship, prosperity and longevity.

Well, about Chap Goh Mei (the 15th and finale of CNY) and the throwing of oranges by maidens, err...., they did not have anything like St. Valentine's Day and heart-shaped chocolate candies to give away then. Anyway, Happy Valentine's Day!

Teohlogy? His words of Tok Kokk...

Patrick Teoh is by all accounts the high priest of 'tokking kok' - a word used quite so often in his maiden book, Teohlogy. It is by no mean the words of God through (or according to) Patrick. Talking about 'tokking kok', when I was in varsity back in 1983, my group of seniors used to use it quite so often that since that was the first time I had heard such a phrase, I actually thought that the word was coined by them. It must have been derived from the saying 'talking cock and bull stories'. Malaysian, being economical in the number of words they like to utter must have shortened it.
An example of Malaysian and his stinginess with words can be seen in any customer service department. In any European, Australian or American shop, if the thing that you are looking for is not available, the shopkeeper/ customer relation officer will go at length to tell you how he will check with his superiors/ other branches and he will get back to you if you could kindly leave for contact, bla, bla... In Malaysia, it would a simple. 'No Stock!!!' Full stop.
For those who grew up in the 80s in Malaysia, Patrick Teoh is no stranger. He was the first radio DJ whose unaccented English and was a regular voice in sponsored radio shows and the only English radio channel 'Breakfast Show'. He used to handle many phone-ins and was razor sharp in his wit and sarcasm. He was fired when his well crafted April Fool joke on how a foreign based company was making a commercial on dancing ducks by placing them on hot-plates worked very well, making everyone (including animal protection societies) up in arms. When the truth was told a few days later, the SPCA was not amused. They lodged a police report for prank.
If Patrick Teoh keeps on writing his brand of book, pretty soon you would see words 'tokking kok' and 'fler'(how Malaysian pronounce the word 'fellow') would make it into the Oxford Dictionary.
If you want an idea of how this book is....
If you think this blog is of a cynical rumbling of a soon to be an old man and is redundantly redundant, then the book can described as something of the same vein but long winded. It is about an senior pretty intelligent (too smart for his pants) Chinaman with the grasp of the language using his level best to take a punch at the government, civil servants and their apathy to the well being of the country. Whenever he can, he also takes a swipe at our southern neighbour, sometimes using crass jokes.
As Teoh points out, we are very good at complaining about  when we are having our beers or teh tarik, forget all about it when we finish it, and complain again when we meet up for another drink, most probably on something new!
I found the book initially a light entertaining read but as the pages progressed, I found it a wee bit tedious as the topics seem repetitive. You can only bash Singaporeans and politicians so much.  Overall it is a good read when you have nothing to do when you are answering nature's call.
P.S. Readers can hit Patrick Teoh's blog which has hit more than 4.5 million visitors. The name of the blog is Niamah!!!, which means 'your mother' in the profane Cantonese dialect - quite how profound!

Sorry, my England (English) not so good one!

Seen in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur

Now, the picture here will paint more than a dull state of our education system. It also gives a non-impressive picture of the malaise (and lackadaisical) attitude of the society. 

Much has been said about the general pathetic decline of the standard of English Language amongst our youth today. I will start sounding worse than a retarded parrot if I go along that line. Malaysians boast of high literacy rate (more than 80%). We are better than most of our neighbours and African nations, anyway! 

Any infant who is babbling to learn the English Language will know what the words 'Father', 'Mother', 'Brother' or 'Sister' mean. Obviously, the advertiser here is offering her services of babysitting not involved in a baby-selling racquet offering couples with baby sisters to their lonely sons! The least the person (advertiser) can do is let someone proofread before jokers like us make fun of them. Is finding a person slightly proficient in English so hard to come by?

The nearest thing remotely English is these people's lives must be watching Mr Bean's pantomime! 

Smooth Operator

Being the introvert I am, from time immemorial, ever since I was young, I remember my mother trying her level best to instil into me the importance of expressing oneself to gain confidence of others and exerting influence over others! Probably she was trying too hard to turn her son into the mould of her prodigy brother. Growing in the Asiatic environment who believes that children should be seen and not heard, it is hard for a child to exhibit his inner feelings.

In that way, children exposed to the Western brand of education are at an advantageous stature to their liking. But there is only so much and so long you can blame your parents and fore-fathers for this handicap. After a certain age, you are on your own...

Master Prabakaran: wonder

if his path followed the same

of many child actors? 

I remember watching a Tamil movie with my sisters where a young preteen precocious orphan who is seen running around the streets in the vicinity of some Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu whilst acting as a tourist guide and putting the adults to shame with his divinely gift of gab and knowledge of the temple ruins (yeah, right!). When we returned after the show, Amma was singing praises about the child star and urged us to be like him at least from the vocal aspect - talking with a clear and crisp voice. Take a listen at it and see for yourself how irritatingly stereotyped the boy is made to be! http://www.rajshritamil.com/Video/Vaa-Raja-Vaa When a Indian Muslim relative once asked my name, I told him so. Being a man probably hard of hearing, he thought that it was 'Hassan Ghani' when it should have been 'Asokan'. Back home it was barrage of missiles for me for mumbling!

If you listened to the podcast above, you heard the interview with Time dot com CEO Afsal Abdul Rahim. As people familiar with the turn of events in the business world are aware, he was roped in to turn the ailing company into red territory. Listening to the way he speaks, with the gift of the gab and all, one can be forgiven to think that he is the saving Messiah for the job! Whether it will materialise or otherwise is yet to be seen.

I do not think my mother's training managed to overturn me into a smooth talking maverick, far from it! During the time of my training for the British professional examinations, my boss tried his level best to make me a capable candidate with a reasonable ability to vocalise my expressions in a sensible and convincing way to convince the English examiners that I was worthy to be a member of their 'boys' club!  
As part of the training, twice a week, I had to present a half an hour presentation on the most mundane topics just to get me into the craft (probably in an artful form, wishful thinking does not hurt) to my peers and subordinates. He even managed to convince (con) me into singing at a karaoke session at a Rotary dinner, all in the name of training with him having a good chuckle in the background. I have come to think that it was done in good faith. Hence, no hard feelings. He still calls me every now and then.