Close-up look at brave volunteer mechanics

SARAWAK has a very interesting history, covering topics ranging from the White Rajahs, Borneo headhunters and legends of Santubong to real life stories of Turtle Islands.

Many books have been written about Sarawak but not many by Sarawakians themselves.

The history of Sarawak has been written in many different languages – Jawi, English, Chinese, Iban and Bahasa Malaysia. A few Sarawak history books have even been written in Dutch and Japanese. Some Korean writers have also written articles on the history of Sarawak.

Sarawak’s own writer and former educator Julitta Lim’s The Intrepid Sarawak Volunteer Mechanics, 1937-1945 is a very interesting close-up look at about 100 Chinese mechanics and drivers who volunteered “their service in the Resistance War against the Japanese in China.

Lim wrote: “This epic event is not only a part of the Sarawak Chinese history but also an integral part of the history of Malaysia, China and the world.”

The recent launching of the book at Sibu’s Heritage Centre attracted more than 100 members of the public. The VIPs included the local Chinese penghulus and association representatives.

Datuk Lau Nai Hoh lauded the splendid effort of the writer in bringing out the heroic stories of the volunteer drivers and mechanics.

Lau, Sarawak branch chairman of Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce, has been in touch with investors from China on industrial building in Sarawak, other investments and cultural exchanges.

A timely publication of such a book would help strengthen ties between China and Sarawak, he added.

The book drew attention to a publication in the Sarawak Gazette (August 1, 1939) which reported: “A batch of 57 motorcar drivers and mechanics left for Singapore on July 31, for China, where they propose to offer their service to the Chinese government.”

At that time, almost all the Chinese in Sarawak were still considered Chinese nationals until they purposefully asked for citizenship under the Rajah. However, to most Chinese back then, it was not really necessary to obtain a paper to be the Rajah’s subjects.

The notion of becoming a Sarawakian was still in its infancy among the Chinese who arrived to trade, farm and eke out a living in what, at the time, must be a backwater state of the White Raj.

The economic migrants were still under a kind of “agreement with the Rajah,”predicated on the promise of good behavior, and the cultivation of specific food crops on land assigned to them.

In fact, there wasn’t any offer of citizenship, according to an old timer who has held a red IC for many years.

The elder, a Chinese national living in Sarawak in the 1930’s, only became a Malaysian citizen in the 1970’s after quite a long process.

Julitta Lim’s book, first co-written and published with her husband, Hong Hon Kah, in 1998, is now seeing a more complete edition (2013) in two languages – Chinese and English.

The original book came into being in 1997 when Sarawak Museum photographic seciton head Lim Yu Seng introduced Teo Tian Shu, the first of the Chinese mechanics in Kuching, to the couple.

Soon an article appeared in a local Chinese newspaper. Four other mechanics were later interviewed with their stories published in the same daily.

Many readers were interested in reading the articles and it was suggested the couple compile the articles into a book. Thus, the idea of the book started taking form. In less than a year, the first edition was published.

The book traces in detail the years of activities, sacrifices, experiences, thoughts, agonies and post-war life in China of the mechanics from Sarawak.

It includes a chapter each on Sarawak Volunteer Drivers and Mechanics on the world political stage; Overseas Chinese Drivers on the Burma Road and In Search of Relatives from Sarawak to Yunnan. The other chapters are based on 21 interviews and other documents.

The book, so well-researched, also records the post- 1947 lives of the volunteers from Sarawak, making it a very interesting read. And indeed, one of the most interesting chapters – Chapter 18 – under the heading The Sarawak Chinese Movement in China’s Resistance War against Japan, contains revelations many Chinese worldwide and, especially in China and Sarawak, will not really know about.

This chapter also shows how deeply the overseas Chinese (most of whom had not been given local citizenship and therefore still had allegiance to the Chinese flag of Sun Yat Sen according) felt for China when Japan started to attack its coast.

The Rajah then approved the Sarawak China (War) Relief Fund. These contributions were, in fact, published in the Sarawak Gazette.

When war broke out in Europe, the Chinese community joined the British and Malayan war efforts and fund-raising organisations as well.

Julitta paid tribute to Chinese newspapers in Sarawak which helped the war efforts tremendously. She made a special mention of the Sibu China Relief Fund Committee and the journalists who wrote anti-Japanese articles.

“In the same period, a newspaper – Sibu News Daily –had its inaugural issue on July 1, 1939 and its director was Liu Zi Qing.

The newspaper ran news about the battle front but its literary corner Ben Liu (Swift Current) appealed to most readers.

The editor Liu Xian Ren was born in Mingqing and employed to teach in Sibu in 1926. Being a prolific writer, he was made publicity director of the Sibu China Relief Fund Committee.

When the Japanese occupied Sibu, he topped their wanted list but managed to escape. During his self-exile from Sibu, he wrote a novel – The Bitter Cup.

After the war, he concentrated his work on education and was principal of Wong Nai Siong Secondary School. The photographs in the book have become a treasure for many family members of the mechanics, and others interested in that particular period of Sarawak history. Some photographs have never been seen by the public.

During her speech at the book’s recent launching in Sibu, Julitta said many records of names were still available in the Yunnan Archives, adding that she would be happy to meet up with relatives and descendants of the mechanics from Sibu.

Had Julitta and her late husband not made an effort to record this particular aspect of Sarawak history in both Chinese and English, the sacrifices of these heroes would have been forgotten.

The book’s launching was also in conjunction with a photographic exhibition of the contributions of the Driver Mechanics. Many of the photos were seen for the first time by the public. Officials from Xiamen University as well as Huaqiao Univeristy of Xiamen were present to help commemorate the 75th  anniversary of the Volunteer Drivers and Mechanics who served in China.

The function was also sponsored by the Association of Sarawak Chinese Academic Research of which Julitta is the president.

“It has been our mission to collect and retrieve as much information as possible regarding the patriotic spirit of these volunteers in this period of Sarawak history so as to give our young people an example to emulate.

“For those volunteers who had sacrificed their lives and whose names might never be known, history will always remember them for the sacrifices and contributions they had made for peace,” she wrote.