The Star Malaysia - Star2

Resistance from all

The first English-language novel by a Malay writer on the Malay anti-Japanese resistance during WWII paints an inclusive picture.

- By CHUAH GUAT ENG star2@thestar.com.my

MALAYR w2nyn)k A)e ”uBpnuln)k n) D)kpnul lAvf ApwAyu ”pAyfe A unk)nhnCA)y 2qpf n) ylf pqCAp pnyf2A2y uCf)fd Buy u)ynp 2fCf)ypy (quy lAvf ”2fhf22fe yq w2nyf ”qf(ud ”pAyud ulq2y uyq2nfud (f(qn2ud A)e uqCnq”qpnynCAp Cq((f)yA2nfus Au A 2fuupyd D)kpnulpA)kuAkf )qvfpu By MApAy Auylq2u CA(f 2fpAynvfpy pAyf yq ylf uCf)fs

Slf hn2uy )qvfp n) D)kpnul By A MApAy Auylq2 A””fA2fe n) “.4i – Mqle SAoueen) RA(uueen)tu The Price Has Been Highs E2q( ylf) ynpp 000-d q)py ywq qylf2u wf2f ”uBpnulfes E2q( 000w q)wA2eud ylqukld ylf2f lAu Bff) A uyfAey uy2fA( qh MApAy )qvfpnuyu f)yf2n)k ylf uCf)f

Nh ylf )qvfpu ”uBpnulfe Bfywff) “.4i A)e 000wd unx lAvf lnuyq2nCAp ufyyn)kus Sl2ff A2f y2uf lnuyq2nCAp )qvfpu – ylf )qvfpu A2f ufy n) ylf ”Auy A)e ylf )A22Aynvf uyAyu wnyln) ylAy yn(fh2A(fs Slfuf A2f SAoueen)tu )qvfpd Hu1A)eA2 Ap-BA12ntu The Beruas Prophecy ’00““rd A)e JA(unAl BquyqC1tu Malacca: A Romance ’00““rs Slf qylf2 yl2ff A2f 6lf2nyAkf” )qvfpu – pqq1n)k BAC1 yq ylf ”Auy h2q( A pAyf2 yn(fh2A(fs Slfuf A2f AenBAl A(n)tu This End Of The Rainbow ’000wrd RlAl2nzA Guuufn)tu Legacy ’0004rd A)e RlAA2n HuAtu Kirkby: The Life And The Loves ’000.rs

Slnu wff1d wf fx”pq2f The Price Has Been Highs

Slf )qvfp nu ufy n) ylf ou)kpfu A)e vnppAkfu qh Of2A1 eu2n)k Uq2pe UA2 HHtu IA”A)fuf NCCu”Aynq) qh MApAyAs Slf Cf)y2Ap ClA2ACyf2 nu PAln( Yuuuhs Slf )A22Aynvf q”f)u wnyl ylf B2uyAp 1nppn)k qh lnu ”A2f)yu By A IA”A)fuf (Aoq2s Slf) q)py “w yfA2u qped PAln( ufyu quy yq lu)y eqw) A)e 1npp ylf (Aoq2 Buy f)eu u” oqn)n)k ylf Jn)yA N)f Gu)e2fed A kuf22nppA k2qu” pfe By GAuuA) A(n)s Slf 2fuy qh ylf )qvfp yfppu qh lnu fx”f2nf)Cfu Au A kuf22nppA hnklyf2 u)ynp lnu efAyl A Cqu”pf qh yfA2u pAyf2s

Slnu (nkly uqu)e pn1f A) Aevf)yu2f uyq2yd Buy ny nu (uCl (q2f ylA) ylAys

Eq2 q)f yln)kd ny nu ylf hn2uy D)kpnul-pA)kuAkf )qvfp ABquy ylf u)qhhnCnAp MApAy A)yn-IA”A)fuf 2funuyA)Cfs T)ynp nyu A””fA2A)Cfd (quy Bqq1u ABquy A)yn-IA”A)fuf 2funuyA)Cf n) MApAyA wf2f By B2nynuld A(f2nCA)d A)e )q)-MApAy pqCAp Auylq2ud App qh wlq( lAe pnyypf yq uAy ABquy MApAy h2ffeq( hnklyf2us Apuqd n) lnu 6AC1)qwpfekf(f)yu”d SAoueen) yfppu uu ylAy fvf)yu n) ylf )qvfp A2f Japanese troops fighting in a Malayan city street on Jan 31, 1942. The ensuing occupation was opposed by local resistance fighters of all races, Tajuddin writes in his novel.

— Public domain BAufe q) lnu qpef2 unuyf2tu 2fCqppfCyn­q)u qh ylfn2 hAylf2tu fx”f2nf)Cfu eu2n)k ylf NCCu”Aynq) – ylf )qvfp nu ylf2fhq2f )qy ”u2f hnCynq)v ny nu ”A2y qh qu2 )Aynq)Ap lnuyq2ys

Au lnuyq2yd ylf )qvfp knvfu A (q2f n)Cpuunvf ”nCyu2f qh ylf 2funuyA)Cf ylA) qhhnCnAp ACCqu)yus Sl2qukl PAln(tu fx”f2nf)Cfud wf pfA2) ylAy App 1n)eu qh ”fq”pf wf2f n)vqpvfe, ylf q2A)k Aupn wlq ”Auufe q) n)hq2(Aynq) ABquy ylf (qvf(f)yu qh IA”A)fuf uqpenf2ud ylf Cln)fuf lf2BApnuy wlq lfApfe wqu)efe Cq(BAyA)yud ylf wfApyly H)enA) wlq (Aef lnu CA2 A)e (qyq2Bn1f AvAnpABpf hq2 ylf CAuufd ylf Cln)fuf ulq”1ff”f2 wlquf wnhf lAe Bff) 2A”fe Buy wlq Clquf yq uyAy Apnvf A)e hnkly 2Aylf2 ylA) enf qh ulA(fd ylf H)enA) ClA”Ayn-(A1f2 wlq hfe ylquf uy2A)efe By Cu2hfwus

Slf )qvfp CA) Apuq Bf 2fAe Au A enuCqu2uf q) HupA(nC vApufus Sq u)ef2uyA)e ylf )Aynq)Ap unk)nhnCA)Cf qh ylnu enuCqu2ufd wf lAvf yq 2f(f(Bf2 ylAy By ylf fA2py “.40ud HupA( A)e ”qpnynCu lAe BfCq(f n)y2nCAyfpy f)ywn)fed A)e (A)y MApAyunA)u wf2f A””2flf)unvf ABquy ylf 2nuf qh 2fpnknquu hu)eA(f)yApnu(s

Unyl ylnu Au BAC1k2qu)ed ylf ”q2y2AyAp qh PAln( A)e GAuuA) uyA)eu quy Au A 2f(n)ef2 ylAy ylf2f A2f ”2n)Cn”pfe A)e lu(A)f 2upfu qh f)kAkf(f)y kqvf2)n)k ylf wAkn)k qh A efhf)unvf wA2 q2 onlAes Yqu)k PAln(d )fw yq kuf22nppA wA2hA2fd Cq)uyA)ypy Au1u lqw q)f CA) Bf ouuy A)e lq)qu2ABpf wlf) efApn)k wnyl n)vAef2ud q””2fuuq2ud hfppqw Muupn(ud A)e )q)-Muupn(us

Au A kqqe Muupn(d lf B2Avfpy Cq)h2q)yu ylquf wlq B2fA1 ylf 2upfud n)Cpuen)k lnu pfAef2d GAuuA)s ACyn)k Cq)y2A2y yq MApAy Cuuyq(d lf vqnCfu lnu enuA””2qvAp qh GAuuA)tu q2ef2 yq 1npp “i IA”A)fuf n) ylfn2 upff”d wlnCl lf uffu Au (u2ef2s Ulf) uq(f wq(f) wnuln)k yq oqn) ylf k2qu” A2f pAuklfe qhh By ylf (f)d lf uyA)eu u” hq2 ylf wq(f) A)e knvfu ylf (f) A pfCyu2f q) kf)ef2 f7uApnyys

GAuuA) nu )qy A BAe pfAef2s Apylqukl n22nyAyfe By PAln(tu Cq)h2q)yAynq)Ap (A))f2d lf ACCf”yu ylf C2nynCnu(u Au ouuynhnfed A”qpqknufud A)e (A1fu PAln( lnu ufCq)e-n)-Cq((A)es Sl2quklquy ylf )qvfpd wf A2f Apuq 2f(n)efe ylAy ny nu )qy Cqpqu2 q2 C2ffe – uq(fyn(fu )qy fvf) ACynq)u – ylAy efhn)fu A ”f2uq)tu wq2yld Buy 2Aylf2d n)yf)ynq)s H) ylf B2qAe CA)vAu qh ylf hnCynq)Ap wq2ped wf hn)e Cq(BAyA)y A)e CnvnpnA) CqppABq2Ay­q2ud n)hq2(f2ud ”2qCu2f2ud IA”A)fuf uy(”Aylnuf2ud B2uyAp 1nppf2ud A)e yq2yu2f2u h2q( App Cq((u)nynfus A)e wf hn)e )qBnpnyy A(q)k ylquf ”f2Cfnvfe Au n)vAef2u A)e q””2fuuq2ud uuCl Au Auuy2ApnA) ApfC GA2en)k A)e IA”A)fuf Cqpq)fp Jfn1q Mn(u2Ad wlq pquf ylfn2 pnvfu n) ”u2uuny qh ”fACfs

Slf )qvfptu (fuuAkf nu uu((fe u” n) ylf f”nuqef qh A (Auu Bu2nAp hq2 ylf vnCyn(u qh wA2, 6sss BAlA2tu ”2Ayf2u wf2f hq2 fvf2y q)f qh ylf(d Muupn(u A)e )q)-Muupn(us Slfy wf2fd Ahyf2 Appd ylf Clnpe2f) qh Fqes”

SlAy SAoueen) Clquf yq w2nyf n) D)kpnul uukkfuyu ylAy lf n)yf)efe lnu (fuuAkf yq 2fACl )qy ouuy ylf MApAyu Buy ylf )q)-MApAyu Au wfpps

In the run-up to Merdeka Day on Aug 31, we celebrate local literature with a fortnightl­y 10-part series on how homegrown English language novels fit into the nation’s story; this is the fourth instalment.

Chuah Guat Eng is a Malaysian author whose works include two novels (Echoes Of Silence and Days Of Change) and three collection­s of short stories (Tales From The Baram River, The Old House And Other Stories, and Dream Stuff ). She currently teaches fiction writing at two universiti­es in Malaysia.

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