CTL 202 – Selected History Topics for Primary Social Studies
Oral History
Tutor: A/P Karl Hack
Done by:
Siti Mardhiah Bte Abdul Raman Matric No: 047127G08 Tutorial Group 7
1 My Father’s experience of the Racial Riots
Introduction
July 21st, 1964 marked a historical event in the history of Singapore – the racial riots. For those who have lived through that period, they are the ones who really value the peacefulness that we have now across races and religions. The government has made many efforts to encourage racial and religious tolerance amongst its citizens with events like Racial Harmony Day. As far as possible, the unforgettable event of the racial riots of 1964 should not be seen again repeating in Singapore’s history. One man who had experienced the turbulences of the racial riots in 1964 is my father. My father, Mr Abdul Raman is 58 years old. Currently a civil servant, he was a young man of 18 years when he experienced the racial riots in 1964. His account of the massacre is seen through the eyes of a terrified young man at that time. He was waiting for his “O” levels results after taking it as a private candidate. When being asked about the cause of the riot, he did not understand why the riot started however at that time all he knew was that the riots were between the Chinese and the Malays. A year later, on 9th August 1965 “Singapore became an independent island- nation. Its military force stood at 1st, 2nd SIR and the Singapore Volunteer Corps.”1 Mr Raman registered himself as a volunteer and joined the army. Subsequently in
February 1966, the Singapore Armed Forces Institute was set up to train officers . Mr Raman experienced riots again a year after he joined the army and was then holding the rank of Sergeant.
Procession to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad According to Mr Raman, every year, there will be a procession organized by the Jamiyah Association to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) had not been set up and Jamiyah Association was considered as the main Islamic body for Muslim affairs. The procession will usually start from the Padang and end at Lorong 12 Geylang where the Jamiyah building was situated. It will be followed by a feast where those involved in the procession and those who came to join in the celebrations get to enjoy eating together in a big tray, usually four to five people eating from one tray. 21 st July 1964
1 Singapore Magazine (Oct-Dec 2002). Citizen Soldiers. http://sgezine.com.sg/centrepiece/1002ns.html
2 On the 21st July 1964, Mr Raman, as usual was looking forward to the procession which started from the Padang to Geylang Lorong 12. According to the book, A Moment of Anguish, “by 1:30pm, the participants for the procession had started gathering in contingents. [t]he procession moved along Beach Road, Arab Street, Victoria Street and Kallang Road, travelling towards its dispersal point at Lorong 12 Geylang.”2 Mr Raman joined the procession nearby Lorong 12 Geylang. He had his camera him as he wanted to capture some photographs. However, he recollected, “ Suddenly I could hear people shouting and saw the participants in the procession going amok. I could see everybody starting to go berserk. The procession members were smashing the windows of the shops along Geylang Road. I was actually very terrified.”3
How it started Similarly in historical records, it said that, “[a]s the procession approached Geylang Lorong 12, the marchers became very rowdy.”4 Mr Raman at that time heard that he “heard a bottle was thrown at the procession somewhere along the Kallang Gasworks Road area. That was when all hell broke loose”5. This was similar to what Tun Razak, the acting Prime Minister reported in the book by John Drysdale, Singapore Struggle for Success6. In the same book, it was also mentioned that “Mr Lee Kuan Yew described the incident differently”, stating in a radio broadcast that “a member of the Federal Reserve Unit asked a group who were straggling away from the procession to join the main stream.” This was also mentioned in ‘A Moment of Anguish’7 where twenty Malays attacked a Federal Reserve Unit Constable after being told to rejoin the Marchers. According to Mr Raman, he panicked and thought that it was dangerous to hang around the area. He immediately went to the bus terminus which was at Lorong 12 itself and boarded Katong Bus Service Number 13 home. On the way home, he could see the Malays attacking the any Chinese that passed by. He was even more taken aback when he reached his house in Kampung Amber. There were many 2 Lau A.(1998). A Moment of Anguish. Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement Singapore: Times Academic Press. Pp 161-173 3 Transcript of Interview 4 Lau A.(1998). A Moment of Anguish.. Pp 161-173 5 Transcript of Interview 6 Drysdale J.(1984). Singapore Struggle For Success. Singapore: Times Book International. Pp 360- 363 7 Lau A.(1998). A Moment of Anguish. Pp 161-173 3 Malays waiting around to attack any Chinese passersby. Mr Raman quickly went home. According to him, although his kampong consisted of Chinese too, it was very safe as they were living harmoniously. The riots did not affect them as they protected each other. This was also mentioned by Mr Lee Kuan Yew when he said that “the violence was started by a minority group of extremists.” He mentioned also that “Malays in their kampongs protected the Chinese, and the Chinese in their own areas protected the Malays.”8
State curfew Mr Raman mentioned that a state curfew was imposed and this was the first time that Singapore or Malaysia as it was still known in 1964 had a 24 hours state curfew. Mentioned in the book ‘Moment of Anguish’, “a state of danger to public order was proclaimed at 8:23pm and at 9:30pm; a curfew was imposed throughout the island.”9 As it was a weekday, people were stranded at work. “[t]hose unable to return to their homes seek refuge at police stations.
Means of communication
Mr Raman recalled that the phone lines were cut off to prevent the riot from spreading further. He could only find out about the updates of situations through the radio as he did not have a television at that time. Evidently, in the book, ‘A History of Singapore’, it mentioned, “[a] curfew was imposed and there were no newspapers. Television and radio provided the only link between the government and the people, keeping the people informed and morale high.”10
Help was nearby An incident was related to Mr Raman by his father in law, Mr Ahmad Bin Jai, who was a police corporal during the time of the riot. Mr Ahmad had related to him how he had helped a Chinese doctor get home safely when he was stranded in his office when the riots started. Feeling indebted of his life to Mr Ahmad, the Chinese doctor, called Dr Chin, became the family doctor and refused to charge any medical expenses from the family. On a lighter note, some good did arise from the riots.
8 Transcript of interview 9 Lau A.(1998). A Moment of Anguish. Pp 161-173 10 Chew E. & Lee E. (1991) A History of Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press 4 Conclusion The racial riots that Mr Raman had experienced has made him appreciate the peacefulness that Singapore has now especially amongst the different races. In 1965, when he joined the army and stayed on for almost fifteen years, he had the opportunity to be part of the defence force of Singapore. Even up to today, having retired from the army, Mr Raman is constantly reminded of the turbulences that he experienced in 1964. The racial harmony that we are experiencing now should not be taken for granted and everybody has a part to play in ensuring that the peace sustains.
Bibliography
Singapore Magazine (Oct-Dec 2002). Citizen Soldiers. http://sgezine.com.sg/centrepiece/1002ns.html
Lau A.(1998). A Moment of Anguish. Singapore in Malaysia and the Politics of Disengagement Singapore: Times Academic Press. Pp 161-173
Transcript of Interview
Drysdale J.(1984). Singapore Struggle For Success. Singapore: Times Book International. Pp 360-363
Chew E. & Lee E. (1991) A History of Singapore. Singapore: Oxford University Press
Name of interviewee : Abdul Raman Bin Abu Relationship : Father Date of birth : 15th October 1946
5 Place of birth : Malacca Occupation during the riots: Unemployed and later Army sergeant
Transcript of the interview with my father
1. How old were you when the racial riot happened?
I was 18 years old at that time.
2. Have you already joined the army at that time?
No. I had just finished taking my ‘O’ levels as a private candidate having done badly the first time round because my dad passed away during the time. So, I was actually waiting for my results.
3. Where were you staying?
I was staying at Kampung Amber now known as Amber Road. I stayed with your grandmother and your uncle.
4. Where were you when the riot in 1964 happened?
I was walking along with the procession to commemorate the Prophet’s birthday. I had my camera with me as I loved taking photographs. This was on occasion where I wanted to capture some photographs.
5. How did you know there was a procession? Well, every year this event will take place, the procession I mean. At that time, MUIS (The Islamic Religious Council) has not been set up yet. Jamiyah Organisation was in charge of organizing events for the Muslims. Jamiyah was situated at Lorong 12 Geylang. Every year, to mark the birth of Prophet Muhammad, there will be a procession walking from one place to another, usually from the Padang back to Lorong 12 Geylang. It will then be followed with a feast at Jamiyah. Many Muslims will come to Jamiyah and eat the Briyani rice served in a big tray. Each tray will be shared by 4 to 5 people. This was very exciting and enjoyable. As a young man at that time, I looked forward to these events.
6. Then what happened?
You see, every year, for as far as I can remember, the processions take place very smoothly. However, in that year, 1964, I remembered that I heard a bottle was thrown at the procession somewhere along the Kallang Gasworks Road area. That was when all hell broke loose. Suddenly I could hear people shouting and saw the participants in the procession going amok. I could see everybody starting to go berserk. The procession members were smashing the windows of the shops along Geylang Road. I was actually very terrified.
7. What did you do?
I panicked. I immediately went to wait for the bus to go home.
6 8. Where did you wait for the bus? Was it far from the chaos?
There was a bus terminus (interchange) at Geylang Lorong 12 itself, very close to where the procession was supposed to end. I took the Katong Bus Service Number 13 back to my house.
9. How was the ride on the bus? Did anything happen?
I saw skirmishes along the way and the shops with their windows smashed.
10. What happened on the bus? Were there any attacks?
There was no Chinese on the bus, luckily. But as I was in the bus on the way home, I could see that the roads were filled with people going amok, breaking and smashing windows of shops, attacking any Chinese that they saw. But then, what really shocked me was that the riot started near Kallang, and when i was about to reach Kampung Amber, I could see many Malays standing around getting ready to attack any Chinese that they saw.
11. What did you do when you reached your house?
I immediately went home and stayed indoors. My kampong area is quite safe as the majority were Malays. There were Chinese people living around, but everybody lived in harmony even during the riots.
The government immediately imposed a state curfew started. It was the first time that a curfew was imposed. I could remember that phone lines were cut off. We were not allowed to leave our house or at lease our premises until further notice. Usually, as far as I know, curfews were from 6am to 7pm, however for this case, it was a whole day. As it was a weekday, people were actually stranded at work because it was an immediate curfew. I listened to the news on the radio to get information.
12. Why were the telephone lines cut off? Oh, the telephone lines were cut off to break off any form of communication. This was to prevent the riot from spreading. That was why when I reached my house area, there were many people waiting to join the riot. They obviously received the news from their friends or relatives who were at the procession.
13. Were there any other incidents that you can recall about the riot?
Yes…your maternal grandfather was a policeman at the Joo Chiat Police Station. He was a corporal. During the riot, somebody told him there was a doctor called Doctor Chin and that some people were going to attack him. Dr Chin was stranded at his clinic. Your grandfather, having heard this, went to Dr Chin’s clinic and escorted him safely back to his home. Dr Chin was so grateful to your grandfather as he felt indebted to him as he has saved his life. Subsequently, Dr Chin became the family doctor and he refuses to accept payment from my grandfather whenever he visited Dr Chin.
7 14. Is there anything else you would like to share?
I hope the riots will not happen again because it really was a state of chaos at the time.
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