Anniversary of Operation Lallang

The story of Kamarulzaman Teh has not been recorded. Yet everytime one hears of it, one is filled with awe and respect for this man who has spent 22 years behind bars to fight for what he believes in - true freedom of his nation and country.

Now 80 years old, blind and unable to walk, Kamarulzaman is undoubtedly the "longest" political detainee of the then Malaya and now Malaysia - only if he did not and does not toe the line as dictated by the powers-that-be.

Kamarulzaman, who is now being taken care of by his adopted sister and her husband, is in frail health but when he talks of his struggle, it is as if he is at his prime all over again.

"As long as we are of the slave mentality, we will remain as slaves of those who want to keep us trodden. History tells us that as long as there is no political consciousness, you will be stamped upon. This what we are lacking - the political consciousness. Once we have that, we will not let others walk over us. Even the Prophet Muhammad fought for the need of political consciousness," says Kamarulzaman.

As he talks of his past, the rain lashed torrents upon the zinc roof. It was as if the skies poured open in celebration of the story of the youth fighting for what he believed in.

The son of a farmer in Temerloh, Kamarulzaman or Pak Zaman as he is known, joined the Partai Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM) to rid his motherland of the Japanese.

"What attracted me was the socialism that they preached and as a farmer's son, it was the only avenue for me to break the vicious cycle of poverty caused by landowners.

"I was also taken by their underground guerilla tactics and this was one of the most effective ways to disrupt the Japanese forces."

Pak Zaman was then made the Pahang head of the PKMM youth wing, Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API).

"We worked with the British against the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation, the British were very co-operative with us," Pak Zaman says that even though they knew the British had their agenda in cooperating with PKMM, it was not something that was said out loud.

When the Japanese forces retreated, the British took over and "legalised" PKMM.

"However, our movements were still very much restricted as they realised that we were adamant to rid the country of colonialists, no matter who."

Pak Zaman says that PKMM was careful not to bare all to the British even during the Japanese occupation.

"Information on the underground activities was kept to zero and even amongst ourselves, we were not told everything. That was how we worked.

"What we were fighting against was not merely the Japanese. And with the retreat of the Japanese forces, our fight was far from over. The British were still colonising us and we then started to fight against the British, naturally. We had to fight for what is ours."

Emergency declared

In 1948, the British felt that PKMM was becoming too much of a threat to them and what was "legalised" was now considered "dangerous".

The morning after emergency was declared, Pak Zaman was arrested at the Temerloh bus station without an warrant and charged with possession of firearms.

"When the two mata-mata (policemen) caught me, I knew there was a crackdown on PKMM members nationwide but we did not know what was happening due to the emergency. Only when I was taken to Kuala Lipis, I met my other co-fighters where we were bundled off into a lorry to be taken to KL to be charged. We were so happy to meet each other that we sang patriotic songs and were unlike people due to be hanged."

Pak Zaman and the others were taken to Campbell Station and then transferred to Pudu Jail. He still remembers clearly what happened.

"I was placed in a cell with a young man of 30 by the name of Adnan. We talked of our struggle. Then they sent in another man. He told us he was betrayed by his wife who told the British that he was a Japanese spy. We could not believe his story. We already knew he was an agent of the British placed there to get information from us."

The next day, Pak Zaman and the man by the name of Adnan were charged in court under the Emergency Laws and sentenced to hang till death.

"My parents came to see me. I told them, 'I am not here because I am a chicken thief. I am here because I love my country. The rest is up to you.'," says Pak Zaman, who was married in 1947 but separated after three years.

"I believe that a fighter has to be able to take everything and anything that comes. If you are not willing to take risks, then do not get involved in the struggle.

"For 10 days and 10 nights, the death sentence hung above me. I appealed against the sentence. Then on the day I was supposed to be hanged, I was told by the warden the Sultan of Pahang had pardoned me. My sentence was then reduced to life imprisonment.

"I was taken to Seremban prison. There some of us got together and tried to improve the conditions in the prison. The conditions got better and for that, we received 10 floggings each," says Pak Zaman, smiling sheepishly as he recalled the "payment" he received.

During his imprisonment, he was not allowed newspapers or any other reading material. He was also not allowed to mix with other prisoners.

"There was no way of getting information from anyone and I could only hear voices from other cells."

When asked what he did to while away the time in prison, Pak Zaman says, "We are fighters (pejuang) and we have so much to think about, with regard to the struggle for the freedom of our nation. There was always so much to keep me occupied."

Under surveillance

Pak Zaman was held in prison for 14 years and when the British left, he was released but placed under surveillance.

"I was to stay in KL and not allowed to meet other detainees. I was also not allowed to discuss politics. For the next two years, the police tried to get information from me regarding the API and its activities. They wanted to know many things and they asked me ridiculous questions such as why API members wore uniforms.

"I told them that even the Umno Youth had their uniforms. I refused to be brainwashed. They kept asking me what I thought of the political situation, of the political parties and such. I told them 'You do not allow me to talk politics or have a political view. What am I to tell you?' They kept twisting the questions and tried to get me to reveal information on PKMM. I did not budge.

"I remember at one time when the interrogator asked me, 'You are not happy with your interviewer. Shall I get you a senior officer or a junior officer?' I told my interrogator, 'I am in your custody. Do what you want with me.'

"Later I asked to return to Temerloh to look after my sick mother. I was granted permission.

"After three days in Temerloh, there was a crackdown on those who were considered a threat to the ruling power. I was again arrested and placed under ISA for another eight years. I was placed in Kuala Lipis prison in isolation."

Once again, Pak Zaman led his life in isolation from the outside world but not from his struggle.

"In prison, I knew why I was arrested for and who was responsible. Although the British had left, the colonisation of the people has not ended as people have yet to be given their rights."

Left in the lurch

After his release from prison, Pak Zaman joined Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia (now PRM) and stood for election in 1974.

"I did not and do not believe in Umno as only a handful profited under their rule. The rest of the country were and are still very much left in the lurch.

"Even after the so-called independence, there are still people oppressed economically and politically. I believe that as long as there are people oppressed, independence has not been achieved in its true form.

"In 1957, we were told that we have achieved independence. At that time, there were two groups of people - one that cooperated with the colonialists and one that refused to cooperate with the colonialists.

"Umno has the history of being the party that cooperated with the colonialists. And whoever believed that there are still people oppressed posed a threat to this ruling party.

"This is one reason why political consciousness is very much needed to be ingrained in every one of us. So that we are able to see the oppression, the injustices and the corruption that is taking place around us.

"We are still very much in the feudal system, where we are still slaves to the people who rule us. We have yet to be able to have a class struggle, where everyone gets his share and no one is above the other.

"Many people who do have the political consciousness do not what to get involved as they fear to suffer. I tell these people, 'Make a change with your vote.' That is one way," Pak Zaman says if one tries hard enough, there is always that one door to kick down.

"The dissent in the ruling coalition and Umno itself is happening because there are people standing up and questioning what is happening.

"I do not regret spending even one night in jail. What I struggled for decades ago has yet to be achieved. We are still in the shackles of slave mentality and we have yet to elect leaders who are people-orientated.

"As long as the elected leaders try all the tactics to keep their interests, our struggle for a truly free nation is far from over," says Pak Zaman, almost with a shiver.

The rain has stopped. Pak Zaman cocks his head to one side, " Hujan sudah berhenti (The rain has stopped)."

" Tapi perjuangan masih belum selesai (But the struggle have yet to be completed)," he adds.

Editor's note:

Corrections have been made to the original article where reference to PKM (Communist Party of Malaya) in all instances is replaced by PKMM (Partai Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya).

Pak Zaman is currently in KL for medical check-ups and is staying at Kampung Hamid Tuah, Batu Tiga, Shah Alam. He is in need of financial assistance for his medical bills and maintenance. For those who are interested to visit or donate to him, please contact 03-787 69149 (Sabariah) or 03-5513 4672 (Siti Nor). Donations can also be made to Kamarulzaman Teh (UP: Siti Nor Hamid), Pejabat PRM, No 42 Jalan Masjid (3/69), 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor).