Background
For the purpose of this interview, I am grateful to my maternal grandmother, Madam Lui
Yoke Lin, for her valuable time and insight into the Japanese Occupation. Mdm Lui Yoke
Lin was born on the 7th day of the 11th month of the lunar calendar in the year 1931. She
is a Cantonese and was living in old shophouses at Terrenganu Street, located in
Chinatown. She was 15 when the Japanese made a surprise air-raid in Singapore on 8th
December, and was then living with her parents, her older brother and his wife and their
daughter. Though at the age of 72, Mdm Lui reported the events to me with much
enthusiasm and as the events that happened during those 3 ½ years were still fresh in her
mind.
Mdm Lui said that it was in the wee hours of the morning on 8th December 1941, when
the whole nation was awoken by sounds of the siren. Upon hearing the sirens, her family
quickly grabbed a few personal belongings and ran to a ‘Sek Shih Lou’ (concrete
building), which is now located near the Chinatown wet market to take shelter. In the
same way, many books mentioned about the surprise air-raid, Singapore was caught off
guard when the first Japanese air raid took place in the early hours of 8 December.1 She
then told me that everyone’s response were instinctive as they have had many drills and
practices beforehand. Upon hearing the siren, people would quickly run for shelter and
only return home when the ‘all clear’ siren came on. She remembered running out of her
house and into the concrete building countless times, it was chaotic, she saw bodies lying
on the street, the intensity of the Japanese attacks since January 1942 caused heavy
casualties, particularly among the civilians. 2 It was a gruesome sight for her to take and
she stayed very close to her family. Somewhere during the time of the Chinese New
Year the escaping stopped. She then found out from her older brother that the British had
surrendered and the darkest moment in Singapore History happened on 15 February
1942, the Lunar New Year.3
_________
1.
2.
Gretchen Liu, ‘Singapore, A Pictorial history: 1819-2000’, Archipelago Press of National Heritage Board,
(1999) Pg 250
Archives and Oral History Department, ‘The Japanese Occupation: Singapore 1942-1945’, Singapore News
& Publications Ltd.,(1985) Pg 24
1
I continued asking her about life under the rule of the Japanese. The first thing she
mentioned was food scarcity. Different ration cards were given out to families and
different food was rationed each week. It would be rice during one week, then pork on
another week, kerosene the subsequent week, and noodles and bread the following week.
Each family was only entitled to 1 kati of rice or noodles or pork regardless of the
number of people in the household. However, it was recorded in books that each person
was entitled to 20 katties of rice per month.4 This discrepancy could be due to the fact
that Madam Lui never went to the ration centre before and hence could have gotten the
information worng. She also recalls that the rationing cards contained the consumer’s
particulars and those of his family members.5 All these details were recorded so as to
ensure that there was a proper system of rationing.6 She remembered seeing her father
and brother heading to the ration centre located around Havelock Road to collect food
supplies for the family. People had big families then, so everyone had meals that only
half filled their stomachs. In order to save on the limited food supplies, Madam Lui’s
mother would sometimes add a few sweet potatoes to the porridge, so as to save on rice
which was a scarce commodity.7 At other times when rice ran out, she would eat noodles
made from red palm oil.
Apart from food scarcity, Madam Lui also recalled the Sook Ching Operation also known
as the process of “purification by elimination” 8; her brother was one of the many
Chinese men between the ages of 18 to 50 to report to screening centres and interrogated
. 9 Everyone in the family was afraid, for men who are suspected to be anti-Japanese
would be brought to remote locations such as Changi, Punggol and Bedok, where they
were all massacred. 10 However, Madam Lui’s brother was not one of the unfortunate
ones, and he returned home safely with a piece of cloth containing his details and an
‘EXAMINED’ chop 11 indicating that he is ‘clean’.
_______
8.
Kratoska Paul H. The Japanese Occupation of Malaya. 1941-1945 Allen & Unwin, (1998) Pg 95
2
During the occupation, stringent measures were adopted by the Japanese military 12 to
ensure law and order. Madam Lui heard stories of decapitation from her father and
brother and the stories all revolved around looters. Decapitation took place as an initial
deterrent, decapitated heads were displayed for days at public places …13 and they
appeared on the bridges crossing the Singapore River. 14 Japanese guards also abuse their
power, as Madam Lui recalls, these guards together with pimps, went round every
household and banging on the doors shouting ‘Gu Leong, Gu Long’, which meant girls in
Cantonese, looking for young girls for physical enjoyment. 15 The unlucky ones became
part of the ‘comfort women’ who were either brought into Syonan-to from overseas or
were “recruited” from the local population. 16 Hence, in order to escape, many young
girls wore dressed up as elderly ladies and dirtied their faces to prevent themselves from
being “recruited.”
In the interview, I asked Madam Lui about her own personal life during the occupation.
She mentioned that she was working for the Japanese producing twig-like items made
from coconut husk that can be used as matchsticks. I reckoned that the Japanese that she
was working for are the butais (military unit). 17 As the Japanese military authorities
became the main employer during the occupation. 18 Food was provided to the workers
including Madam Lui but she did not know what she was eating as they were Japanese
food. The guards served the food and in return Madam Lui and other workers had to
show respect by saying ‘arigato’, which means ‘thank you’ in Japanese. The food
provided maybe a form of benefit for the workers as the butais were seen giving better
treatment towards their supporters. This treatment usually came in the form of benefits
such as rice and bean rations or allotment tickets for salted fish and tapioca flour. 19
________
14. Kratoska Paul H, (1998) Pg 94
15. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang Between Two Oceans- A
Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press,
(1999) Pg 274
3
However, upon leaving her work place, employees’ belongings were being searched to
check if anyone stole anything and before leaving, she had to bow to him to show respect.
Other Japanese guards would also expect civilians to bow at them; sentries at checkpoints were infamous for their fiery tempers. Failing to bow respectfully before them
would mean a sharp slap on the face or even more severe punishments. 20
The events cited by Madam Lui on the brutality of the Japanese soldiers were also seen
being written by authors, the new rulers of Singapore from mid-February 1942 to midAugust 1945 are often depicted as demonic, violent, ruthless, arbitrary, and almost
devoid of compassion, consideration and benevolence. 21
The last point mentioned by Madam Lui was education during the Japanese Occupation.
The education system changed where the emphasis was on learning the Japanese
language 22 and hence led to the formation of numerous Japanese language schools. A
school to train teachers in the language and culture of the Japanese was set up. 23 As
such, many Chinese parents were wary of the form of education that might be on offer 24
including Madam Lui’s parents. In addition, many families including hers preferred that
their children help them scratch a living at work rather then allow them to go to school
and become indoctrinated by the Japanese as life was hard and likely to remain so for the
foreseeable future. 25 As for other civilians, they were encouraged to learn Japanese at
their work place, over the radio and from papers and magazines. 26 Madam Lui also
mentioned that her brother soon learnt to speak Japanese as he was working as a bank
clerk in a bank which was operated by the Japanese Kaisha (Business Association). 27
_______
21. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang Between Two Oceans- A
Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press,
(1999) Pg 248
24. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang (1999) Pg 252
4
Conclusion
Oral histories when compared to historical reports often reveal discrepancies as oral
histories are human perceptions of events whereas historical reports are written based on
archived records and research. However, in this particular interview, most of the
information provided by the interviewee were accurate and are closely related to
historical records except for the part about each family being given only 1 kati of rice.
The information in Madam Lui Yoke Lin’s story as helps reaffirms the accuracy of the
information found in historical records of the Japanese Occupation. It also reveals the
truth that the Japanese soldiers, as Madam Lui says, “are barbarians.” In addition,
although Madam Lui was truly fortunate to have escaped all the cruelty of the
Occupation, but through her recount, we can indeed see a picture of hardship, trauma and
suffering.
5
Bibliography
1. Gretchen Liu, ‘Singapore, A Pictorial history: 1819-2000’, Archipelago Press of
National Heritage Board, (1999) Pg 250
2. Archives and Oral History Department, ‘The Japanese Occupation: Singapore
1942-1945’, Singapore News & Publications Ltd.,(1985) Pg 24
3. JAPANESE OCCUPATION
http://homer.pacific.net.sg/~chenzc/Singapore%20Past.htm
4. Gretchen Liu, 1999
5. Gretchen Liu, 1999
6. Gretchen Liu, 1999
7. JAPANESE OCCUPATION
http://homer.pacific.net.sg/~chenzc/Singapore%20Past.htm
8. Kratoska Paul H. The Japanese Occupation of Malaya. 1941-1945 Allen &
Unwin, (1998) Pg 95
9. Gretchen Liu, 1999
10. Japanese Occupation- Massacre of Chinese Populace
http://www.s1942.org.sg/dir_defence7.htm
11. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
12. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
13. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
14. Kratoska Paul H, (1998) Pg 94
15. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang
Between Two Oceans- A Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to
Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press, (1999) Pg 274
16. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang
Between Two Oceans- A Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to
Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press, (1999) Pg 274
17. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
18. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
19. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
20. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
6
21. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang
Between Two Oceans- A Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to
Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press, (1999) Pg 248
22. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
23. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
24. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang
Between Two Oceans- A Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to
Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press, (1999) Pg 252
25. Murfett Malcolm H., Miksic John N., Farrell Brian P. & Ming Shun Chiang
Between Two Oceans- A Military History of Singapore, From First Settlement to
Final British Withdrawal Oxford University Press, (1999) Pg 252
26. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
27. Archives and Oral History Department, (1985)
7
Transcript
Name: Lui Yoke Lin
Date of Birth: Approximately end of November or beginning of December, 1931
Age: 72
Place of Birth: Singapore
Dialect: Cantonese
1) When were you born?
1931, 7th day of the 11th month of the Lunar calendar
2. Where were you born and what is your dialect?
In Singapore lor, Cantonese lah.
3) How many siblings did you have?
Just me and my older brother.
4) Where did u live and with who?
Chinatown lor, ‘Deng Po Gai’(Terrenganu Street). With my parents, my brother and his
wife and their daughter, my niece.
5. When was it that Japan invaded Singapore?
1941 lor, 8th December. I remembered it was in the way past midnight and everyone was
asleep. Suddenly, the sirens wailed so loudly, we all had a shock. All of us quickly
grabbed a few things and ran over to ‘Sek Shih Lou’ (concrete building), which is the
building in front of the Chinatown market. You know, the building with the CK
department store on the 1st level. We had many drills before, everyone staying in
Chinatown would run to this place for shelter as it was made of concrete. Unlike our
shophouse, so old and feel so insecure.
8
6. How long did this last?
I can’t really remember. Many many times. Everytime the siren came on, I would run. It
was so scary. Got blood, got screams. I was only 15 then u know, I was so scared so I
stayed very close to my parents. Then one day, we did not run to the concrete building, it
was the first day of Chinese New Year in 1942. I was so happy, I thought the war was
over and that I can celebrate Chinese New Year but my I soon found out from my brother
that the ‘hong moh gui tou houng.’ (the British surrendered). I did not really understand
what it all meant, I still thought that I can celebrate Chinese New Year.
7. During the Occupation, did your brother go for any interrogation?
Have. All the Chinese men had to go to report and do some registering. Luckily, my
brother came home and was holding a piece of cloth with some words on it. I didn’t know
what was written on it, I did not study. My brother told us that some of our neighbours
were told to stay and could not return home. He said ‘hoi de moh fan ah’, which meant
that ‘they did not return.’ He said that the men will be brought to some ‘ulu’ (remote in
malay) to be killed. My mother was so relieved to see my brother and she almost cried. I
too was very worried.
8. There was food rationing, how much food did your family receive?
I think it is about 1 kati per family. I cannot really remember because it was my brother
and my father that went to the food rationing centre at ‘zen zui san’ (Pearl’s Hill). Every
week, a different type of food will be rationed. One week rice, one week pork, one week
bread. If bread is not available, it would be noodles made from red palm oil. We also had
to eat tapioca and sweet potatoes, as rice was not enough. Sometimes, we have to add
some sweet potatoes into our porridge then we will be full. Life was so difficult. Sigh…
9. During three years and eight months of occupation, how did the Japanese treat
the people?
So scary. My father told me that he saw heads displayed at public places and there was
blood on the floor too. He told me that the heads belonged to people who stole things
from houses or shops. One cannot make any mistakes, if the ‘yat pun bing’ found out,
9
then you will die. The Japanese soldiers were very mean; they would go looking for
young girls together with the pimps. Everyday I heard loud shouts of ‘Gu Leong, Gu
Leong’ (young girls in Cantonese). I was so afraid that they might come banging on our
door. So many young girls dressed up as old ladies and dirtied their faces also to protect
themselves.
10. Did you work? What were you working as?
I was working for the Japanese. Every day, there will be a lorry to pick us up then we will
go to this factory to make some sticks that can be used as matchsticks. The sticks were
made from the husk of coconuts. I was also given food to eat, the soldiers gave it to us
and we had to say ‘arigato’ (‘thank you’ in Japanese). The food was really bad, I did not
know what I was eating either. I think it was some Japanese food. Then in the evening
when we leave, the soldiers will check our baskets and then again we have to say
‘arigato’ and bow to them.
11. Do you have any last comments?
Manu of us were supposed to learn Japanese. I only knew the word ‘arigato’ but my
brother could speak a bit of Japanese. He was working as a bank clerk, so sometimes,
people will go to him to learn Japanese. They also set up many Japanese schools, but
people all so poor, cannot afford to go to school and they were afraid that the something
will happen to their children if they go to the Japanese schools.
10