Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Remembering my dad......Mr.BVP. David this Merdeka and the marginalisation of Indians
Friday, August 17, 2007
This Straits Time article by Kathirasen caught my eye. Especially this part, "The same issue talks about a communist terrorist, Siew Fong, 29, surrendering on the morning of Aug 31 because: "Today is Merdeka Day, and with independence already achieved, there is no more reason for us to continue our struggle." He was the first terrorist to surrender in independent Malaya. Siew gave himself up to estate conductor E.V. Kunji Raman at Nova Scotia Estate near Telok Anson (today's Teluk Intan).
Kunji Raman (Kunji, by the way, is one of the names the National Registration Department frowns upon) told the estate manager who told the district police chief who came to take Siew away. In the beginning when the people in the estate heard about this, the people thought that Mr. Kunji Raman was the one captured by the Communists, there was anguish. They were relieved when they knew the truth. I am not going to talk about Siew, he was a Commie, that's all there is to him. Mr. E.V. Kunji Raman was a close friend of my father. He was the "Field Conductor" of the 3rd Division of Nova Scotia Estate, whereas my late father was the "Field Conductor" of the 5th Division. They had many outings together with the other field conductors.
I was especially allowed to follow them. They had long drinking sessions in the coffee shop owned by a Mr.Tan. This Mr Tan was the sundry shop owner in the estate. Everyone in his family spoke Tamil. One of his son's was a Police Officer. His eldest son was my class teacher when I was in Standard 6, his name was Mr. Tan Ah Jin. Their sessions were at the back of the coffee shop. All of them had colorful lives. My Dad and another of his friend, a Mr Pathy were interned at the Pudu jail during the Japanese occupation of Malaya. Poor Mr.Pathy suffered the loss of hearing due to the Japanese torture. I recall whenever my father talked to him, he was always yelling at Mr.Pathy. They did their own things against the Japanese, that was the reason they were interned. Luckily for them they were not executed and for me, as I came to be the son of my father. My dad was a virtual skeleton when he was released. He was given shelter in a goat shed, which had no goats, and my dear mum who was then not married yet used to pass him food in a coconut shell. She was frightened of him, because of his skeletal condition and used a stick to push the food to him. He did help the MPAJA. He had a lot of dreams for us and for Malaysia.
He had the dreams that I have. He loved this country so much that he allowed his eldest son to join the Recconnaisance Regiment during the Confrontation to fight the dastardly Indonesians and me to fight the Commies. Likewise his close friend's (Mr.Pathy) son who joined the RMAF. He had great dreams for Malaysia. I guess they were only dreams of his. Here are some of the many Indians who paid with their lives and risked death:
Countlessless others too have sacrificed for this country which is marginalising them. They laid roads and railway tracks, toiled the jungles to plant rubber, under conditions of slave labour, dying like flies, ravaged by diseases, becoming prey for tigers, prey of sadistic colonial masters, they became free after "Merdeka". Merdeka to them today is a sour word as the government of today cares two hoots for them.
My father is not around anymore, in a way it is a blessing as this marginalisation of the Indians would have surely broken his heart.
I remember him campaigning in the estates for the Alliance, which has evolved, into something sinister. He did deliver the votes.
I surely hope that the people open their eyes around them and look at our country's sliding downhill. 50 years, is this all we have to show? The minorities being marginalised. There are many other issues, which are being ignored by the mainstream media.
Well, people are beginning to open their eyes. I pray they do.
