Point Blank: For Wak Rahim, the sacrifices were worth it
New Straits Times (Columns)
09 Sep 2006
Johan Jaaffar

ABDUL Rahim Anwar or Wak Rahim was somewhere at a tin mine near Puchong patrolling the jungles with his squad when Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaimed Malaya’s independence on Aug 31, 1957. The squad was on full alert following reports of communist sightings in the area. They did not find any on that day.

When they returned to camp, the euphoria was palpable. Everyone was greeting each other "Merdeka!" It was one of the proudest moments in his life.

He had another reason to be happy. As a police recruit at Tanjung Keling, Malacca in 1952, an English instructor had a habit of chiding anyone on the brink of exhaustion with a shout, "Macam ini mahu merdeka?" (Is this how you want your independence?)

Wak Rahim knew little of the nascent nationalist movement at the time. He read about it in Utusan Melayu and some other papers. Malay self-consciousness was evident in the Malay Press starting in the late 1920s, the 1930s and early 1940s.

After the war, the issue cropped up more seriously. For a young man in the village of Cheng, near Malacca, debates on Malayness, nationalism and independence were interesting. But reality soon set in. He had to find a job.

On Nov 19, 1952 he signed on as a police recruit. For an 18-year-old, it was a challenge unlike any other. Joining the force was a passport to a better life. For two months, he went through hell. He withstood the hardships. But Mr Smith (not his real name) was something else. He had nothing but contempt for Malayans trying to unshackle themselves from the yoke of colonialism.

"Mau merdeka? (Want independence?)" he asked as he placed a heavy boot on a recruit’s neck for the slightest mistake. "Ini merdeka!" (This is independence). For the English officer, independence was one big joke.

It was in the memory of this English officer that Wak Rahim cherished the day the Union Jack was lowered. It did not really matter what independence meant to him. For a policeman, 1957 was still a year of living dangerously. The communist insurgency saw no sign of abating. Many of the areas were still "black" and unsafe. At the time, Wak Rahim was patrolling the Puchong district to as far south as Kajang. The entire area was filled with danger.

Wak Rahim saw action the moment he was posted to Sepang. He was then Constable 17756. For some time, he was at a police station in Sungai Pelik, Sepang. Later, he was moved to Tanjung Rhu, Tanjung Sepat and Permanah Estate. He encountered many skirmishes with the communists. He lost many friends in the process. The early years of his service were tough. He was thankful to be alive.

"Bandits" (the armed communists as they were labelled) were almost everywhere back then. There were Chinese and Malays among them. In most operations, Wak Rahim moved with a small group and little ammunition. Any prolonged fighting rendered them vulnerable.

Initially, the instruction was simple, since their superiors were interested in body count they had to bring back the dead bandits even if they had to carry the bodies through rough terrain. Eventually the instruction was to bring "evidence" in the form of severed heads or limbs. Their superiors wanted photo opportunities.

In one case, a cocky young English officer demanded to see what they had brought back after a dangerous mission. He fainted when they pulled out two severed heads and placed them on his table.

Wak Rahim played a role in ensuring the first general election for Malaya went smoothly in 1955. That year, Perikatan (the Alliance consisting of Umno, MCA and MIC) won 51 out of 52 seats. Buoyed by the election result, Independence was just a matter of formality. The next general election was in 1959.

Again, the Alliance won significantly with 74 seats, leaving the rest with 30 seats; Pas gained 13 seats, the most compared with the next 10 elections. However, Pas won 27 seats in 1999.

For Wak Rahim, the 1955 election was his first and he had never failed to vote in all 12 national elections. But 1955 was sweetly remembered for he was guarding a polling station in Kajang in the historic election.

Wak Rahim got his chance to celebrate the first anniversary of Malaya’s Independence since it was held at Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur in 1958. He was stationed among hundreds around the stadium to provide security. He saw with his own eyes thousands of Malayans of all races streaming into the newly completed stadium to celebrate. Two years later, he left the force. He started with a salary of RM72 a month and ended his career without a pension or compensation.

He went back to Malacca with his young wife and they started a family. The marriage didn’t last. He left for Parit Sulong in Batu Pahat to work as a rubber tapper. He married a local girl with whom he was blessed with six children. Things were difficult back then.

The only avenue was to join the Felda scheme. It was to many Malays back in the 1960s an opportunity to change their lives. Wak Rahim went through countless interviews but to no avail. He went to local politicians, headmen or anyone who could help. He never got a place at the scheme.

Wak Rahim is not a bitter man. He is 73 now but still agile. He toils in the field as hard as anyone half his age. But Independence Day is still a special moment for him. He was there watching his nation become a sovereign land. He has seen his country through elections, racial incidents, robust development and monumental change.

Perhaps he is but merely a statistic to his nation. Or his contribution is largely forgotten. He may have his disappointments but he is not complaining. His only dream is to witness the 50th anniversary of the independence of his beloved country. If at all he lives to see it.