The state of Emergency declared by the British in Malaya 54 years ago propelled Umno into politics paving the way for the party to be the "defender of the Malays", said an ex-leader of the Communist Party of Malaya.

Former CPM president Abdullah CD, recently said in an interview with malaysiakini that Umno, political parties and non-governmental organisations which were pro-British escaped the "gallows of the Emergency Laws".

But the law, which claimed many lives from both sides of the political divide, he added, not only put a lid on the patriotic-democratic struggle of the left for Merdeka but also launched Umno into the political forefront.

"While Umno had the chance to continue its struggle without competition from other political parties, many others were jailed, tortured, sentenced to death and banished from the country," said Abdullah, who formerly led the Malayan People's Army.

"During that time, the whole country experienced 'white terrorism'. There were oppression, arrests and continued detention everywhere," added the 79-year-old former army leader, when met at his home in Sukhirin in southern Thailand, 90km off the Thai-Malaysian border on the Kelantan side.

Left-wing parties banned

On June 18, 1948, Britain declared the Emergency and banned left-wing political parties and non-government organisations like CPM, Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), Angkatan Wanita Sedar (Awas), Barisan Tani Malaya, Hizbul Muslimin, New Democratic Youth League and labour unions.

Two days later, the Britons launched a mass dragnet on the party cadres and members of the banned organisations for seeking to topple the British administration via militant means.

Three well-known Malay leaders, Kamaruzamman Teh, Rashid Maidin and Abdullah were detained but Abdullah managed to escape hours later.

Rashid was released in 1951 but Kamaruzamman, who is now 82 and resides in Kuala Lumpur, languished in prison until his conditional release in 1962. He earlier death sentence was later altered to a life term.

The 1955 Baling Talks between CPM, the British and the Alliance government led by Tunku Abdul Rahman to end the communist threat failed because the CPM refused to surrender.

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

Emergency ignited anti-British war

Nevertheless, Abdullah said the Emergency united the various races and political parties like PAS led by Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy and Parti Rakyat by Ahmad Boestaman and ignited the anti-British war between 1948 and 1957.

That year also saw the mushrooming of several initiatives which included academics and journalists who used their skills to propagate the spirit of Merdeka and nationalism, he added.

"It was a costly war which exhausted the British until they had to declare our Independence in 1957," said Abdullah, who helped set up PKMM and led the Malay labour movement.

His wife, Suriani Abdullah, who was also present during the interview with malaysiakini , said the Emergency period fanned the spirit of revolution among the masses, who at that time, desired nothing beyond Merdeka .

Women who were revolutionary-minded were not willing to be left behind in the fight for Independence and joined the army during the Emergency period, she said.

"The women joined the farmers and entered the jungle to start working; some worked with the masses raising funds for the army, and organised food and drinks for our friends," said Suriani, who was the party's propaganda chief.

"The children were actively involved too. They became our messengers and helped monitor the activities of the British stooges. They also helped with shopping for goods," said the 78-year-old mother of one.

Abu Samah Mohd Kassim, who joined CPM during the Emergency years, said that after joining the party many declined to contact him but his relationship with the Chinese cadres in Semantan (Pahang) was very good.

Negative reaction

He related a Workers' Day celebration held that year attended by about 100 participants, mostly Chinese and Indians, which caught the attention of a British Intelligence Officer and the Officer-in-Charge of the Police Department.

After the gathering, people's spirits were high, he said, but certain quarters reacted negatively, adding that those who came to see him about the celebration included Umno leaders in Bentong and Temerloh.

Abu Samah said he stressed to his detractors that the purpose of the group was to organise welfare activities, reject the Malayan Union, British Federation of Malayan states and the desire for Merdeka .

"Their advice, opinions and threats centred around the fact that we should stop involving ourselves in the Chinese movement," he said.

"They said that the social activities were good, but if we wanted our own government it would be dangerous as Malaya would be controlled by the Chinese," he added.

But Abu Samah said the group went on with their multi-racial activities anyway and prepared themselves for the Emergency and war against the British colonialist, retreating into the jungle with a 100-odd soldiers.