news feature

One positive factor of 'white terrorism' during the Emergency declared by the British administration in Malaya in 1948 was the influx of Muslim women warriors into left wing political parties like the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM).

"The hand that rocks the cradle can rule the world," quoted former CPM propaganda chief Suriani Abdullah ( left ), who now resides with her husband and ex-CPM chief Abdullah CD in Sukhirin in southern Thailand, 90km off the Malaysian-Thai border from the Kelantan side.

"After the Emergency was proclaimed on June 18, followed by mass arrests of our members two days later, many women were driven into the jungle and joined their male compatriots to fight against the British colonialists," said Suriani.

"Many left their families, children and sacrificed a lot for their beliefs. They ought to be called heroes in our struggle for independence."

Indeed, Suriani, 78, spoke from experience. A former member of the party's military wing, Regiment 10, and a central committee member, she braved family objections despite being an only daughter, and plunged into the communist cause in 1940 after being influenced by the book Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow.

The former teacher who hails from Sitiawan in Perak, writes and speaks fluently in Bahasa Melayu, English and Mandarin.

She has a married daughter who lives next door to her home in their current residence, a village called Ban Chulaborn Pattana. Her only child followed her footsteps and walked alongside her as a comrade in the army.

Inspired women

Like Suriani, names of legendary women warriors such as Tun Fatimah and Siti Wan Kembang during the early Malayan years had inspired hordes of Malay women to abandon their humble rural lives, retreat into the jungle and take up arms during the colonial period.

Before World War II, several progressive Malay women groups like Angkatan Wanita Sedar or Awas had mushroomed across the country.

The women in Awas later collaborated with Putera-AMCJA (Pusat Tenaga Rakyat-All Malaya Council of Joint Action) to oust the Japanese, the British and later the Alliance government as members of CPM and soldiers of the Malayan People's Army.

But more than just inspiration from local legendary folklore, women were largely forced into such circumstances due to fear of being arrested, maltreated, raped or tortured by military officers.

Siti Mariam Idris ( right ), who hails from Lubuk Tawa in Temerloh, Pahang, entered the jungle and became a soldier due to her mother's encouragement which she considered "highly progressive".

According to Atom, as she is affectionately known, her mother told her at the height of British colonialism that "it is better to be a soldier, join the communist party than being a slave in your own country".

Risked being jailed

Atom, now 75, joined the struggle in her 20s during the Emergency period. She was already married by then but left her child in the care of her mother. Mass arrests of her friends and family members and the fear that she was marked 'Red' by special branch officers and therefore risked languishing in jail, strengthened her resolve to join the army.

"But I have no regrets. Life was wonderful in the jungle. We didn't have to worry about a single thing. Everything from our food to our clothing and other daily needs were taken care of," she told malaysiakini .

"I didn't even know how to read and write before I entered the jungle. Later, after attending training, I learnt how to read and write a little," she added.

Her comrade, Siti Norkiah Mahmud Baginda, 74, from Raud in Perlis, had similar memorable experiences.

Also marked 'Red', Norkiah was inspired by her father, who led many labour protests during the colonial period, to participate in the left movement.

After accompanying her father on most of his political programmes, it was to no one's surprise that Norkiah later joined Awas and became its Pahang branch chairperson for several years.

She gave ceramah (public talks), organised meetings and worked with the masses to "work towards women's development".

"We obtained a lot of support for our work. My job was not only to give ceramah but collect donations and set up small co-operatives for padi farmers to help the movement," she said.

High price for independence

Norkiah is married to former CPM central committee member Abu Samah Mohd Kassim.

The couple now live next door to Suriani and Abdullah.

They paid a high price for Merdeka . During the Emergency, members of the left were hunted by the British military in a dragnet which had many arrested, hanged or sentenced to life imprisonment.

All left-wing political parties and non-governmental organisations except for pro-British parties like Umno were banned.

The 1955 "Baling Talks" between CPM, British and the Alliance government led by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj to end the communist threat failed when the government refused to accept the MCP as a legitimate party in exchange for ending their armed struggle.

The Emergency "officially" ended in 1989 with the signing of a tripartite agreement between Malaysia, Thailand and CPM in Haadyai, which ended 40 years of guerilla warfare against the British and later the Alliance government.

Like her comrades, Rofiah Mat Yatin, 76, a farmer in Lubuk Tawar, said she was "forced into the struggle" due to unfavourable circumstances which afflicted her life.

She became a CPM member in 1949 after her husband was shot dead by a British soldier.

Letter messenger

Later, her only brother was imprisoned, leaving her alone to fend for herself. Being poor and an orphan, she left her only child, who now resides in Johor and whom she has never seen since then, in the care of villagers and became a soldier.

Marked 'Red' for her role as a letter messenger although she claimed she was ignorant of all the contents, Rofiah was compelled to flee her village as she was on the "wanted list".

"The villagers hid me in the jungle, gave me food and took care of me until I met with other CPM members," said the small-built Malay woman eyes sunken with age.

"We did everything together, no matter how difficult it was. Alive or dead, whether there was food or not, we stuck together because we had already decided to defend our homeland and fight for independence."

Driven by fear, influence or circumstances, young women these days can draw inspiration from the experiences of these courageous Malay women who transcended race, religion and gender in solidarity with their male comrades to liberate Malaya.