SARIMAH Binti Dassam
Japanese Occupation of Singapore,
Accession Number 003277
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 3
Total Reels
- Mohd Yussoff Ahmad
Interviewer
- 02:37:31
Total Running Time
- Malay
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 3
Metadata
- 17 May 2008
Recording Date
- 00:58:40
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Sarimah Binti Dassam was born in the year 1919 at Tanjong Rhu in a kampong house. Sarimah’s father whose name was actually Dassim was a Bugis and he worked as a police officer. Sarimah’s mother, Maria was an Indonesian and was a housewife. Among the nine siblings, three girls and six boys, only Sarimah and her younger brother is still alive. Sarimah cited that she and sisters did not attend school, only her brothers went to school. She described her father’s duties as a policeman at that time. Amongst the father’s duties were to clean up rifles and took care of the garden.
She cited in detail the place that she lived during her father’s term as a policeman. Sarimah’s family lived in Rochor at the police’s barrack. Living condition during her family’s stay at the police quarters. Sarimah was about seven then. Cited that the barrack had different sections for single policeman and married policemen. The wives would do some knitting while the husbands went out to work. Described a typical daily routine living in a policeman’s barrack.
Sarimah’s family then moved to quarters at Orchard Road. Her father was asked to retire at that point of time and received pension money $15 every month. Living condition at the Orchard Road’s quarters which was a bit more comfortable than the previous one. Cited that sometimes the inspector would organize parties and the children would sit on the steps to see the party. She also related other sources of entertainment during that time. After Sarimah’s father retired, he bought a house at Lorong Maidin, a rumah panggung or house with mini basement .A well was built at the house’s area and the living condition was much more comfortable.
Sarimah’s father whom she called “Encik”, did not send her to school. He said that he’s afraid Sarimah would start sending love letters if she knew how to read and write. Only her brothers were sent to school. She did go to Quran recital classes though where at the same time she started to learn Jawi and even manage to read newspaper. Though her father was a strict disciplinarian, he never resort to beating his children.
Sarimah then got married to a man named Yusof. It was an arranged marriage The marriage lasted only for four months as her husband was killed in a bombing incident at Lorong Melayu. Prior to the incident at Lorong Melayu, there was news that there were bombings at Cathay. Sarimah was told to go to Lorong Melayu where her in laws were staying thinking that the Japanese would not go there as the village was on top of a hill. Sarimah’s father also went to Lorong Melayu to accompany her father-in-law who was having stroke at that time. Her mother and elder sister stayed at Lorong Maidin. Never did she thought that she would encounter such a terrifying experience.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 3
Metadata
- 17 May 2008
Recording Date
- 00:52:25
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Sarimah related the first time she saw Japanese soldiers. There was loud knocking of the door after her husband did his evening prayers. Her cousins were also at home with her. They never thought of anything so her husband opened the door. At first the soldiers spoke in Japanese, after realizing no one understood the language, they spoke in English. Cited that the soldiers spoke in a harsh tone. The soldiers ordered her family to get out of the house as the soldiers wanted to use their house. Her family had to obey to the order and the Japanese soldiers waited at the bottom of the house to ensure that they everybody was out. Her family was split into two groups where one group went to a neighbour’s house name Haji Ali, the other group went to another neighbour, Haji Kasbollah’s house. Not really sure why the split as it was instructions by her brother in law.
So Sarimah was in a group with all the ladies and her brother in law. The other group consisted of all the men including her husband and father. When Sarimah and the rest got into Haji Ali’s house, they heard bombs landed at the kampong. It sounded so near to them. The British bombed the village as they had already knew that the Japanese soldiers were there. Sarimah thought she would see the deaths of the Japanese soldiers but it turned out to be otherwise. Got to know that her husband was dead because of the bombing splinters and her brother was missing. Her father was also injured. Everybody returned to the house after the bombings. No idea why the Japanese soldiers asked them to leave the house. Stayed at Lorong Melayu for a month before going back to Lorong Maidin.
No disturbance from the Japanese soldiers when she went back to Lorong Maidin. Life during the Occupation was tough. It was tough to get food and clothings. The family would have to queue up at Telok Kurau to get the rationed food, Her mother had to take the food as her father was working. Her father worked in a Japanese factory making threads. The threads were made from pineapple’s vein. Cited that it was as though freedom for her mother because her mother never had the chance to go out as prohibited by Sarimah father. As the situation was pressing, Sarimah’s father had to allow the mother to queue up for the rationed food. She did not feel any pressure or worried while she was at Lorong Maidin and did her normal chores.
After a year, the Japanese occupied Singapore, Sarimah got married with the present husband, Omar Bin Hitam. She then moved to Kampong Ayer Gemuroh, her husband’s village and lived with her sister in law. Cited that the wedding was just a simple affair. Sarimah and husband stayed quite long at the sister in law place. After which they built an attap hut and subsequently in a wooden plank house. Japanese soldiers never caused any disturbance at Ayer Gemuroh. Heard one incident where a fellow villager named Roslan was trampled by the soldiers and was ordered to drink soap water.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 3
Metadata
- 17 May 2008
Recording Date
- 00:46:26
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Sarimah elaborated about food that the family had during the Japanese occupation which was tapioca. The family had rice only for dinner. How she would prepare the family's meal, using tapioca as the main dish. Among the dishes that she had prepared was pulut sambal and pulut panggang and lempeng or pancake.Even weddings at that time served tapioca. Malays in the village at that time did not do any planting because they did not have any land. They would buy the tapioca from the Chinese traders.
Saw a couple of Australian Prisoner Of War at Ayer Gemuroh's beach looking for snails. They were seen wearing singlets with shorts. She related that they would go to back to the prison after finding the snails.
Life was a bit better under the British ruling which her brother found it peculiar. She’s type who would not harbour any ill feeling towards anybody as long as the person did not do anything bad to her.
Briefly about the merger with Malaysia. She was happy with the merger She was worried when separation happened. Worried if fights would break out.
Talked briefly about the racial riots in the year 1964. Some disturbance Batu 10, not far from Ayer Gemuroh though not as bad as one the one happening at Geylang. Police were on guard at Ayer Gemuroh so there was no really trouble at Ayer Gemuroh.
She related on the politics fever in Singapore. Did not vote for any party during her first election, as she did not know whom to choose. Began to vote for PAP of her believe the party that can be good government.
Sarimah cited that she was more comfortable living at Ayer Gemuroh she had relatives and the villagers were like one family.
Mentioned that the present generation is more educated and knowledgeable. Her advice for the present generation is to help one another regardless of race, don't be proud and don't oppress people. Cited that Singapore is a safe place and hopes that it will continue forever.
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