Hock Lee Bus Riots of May 1955 - Know your history

[Ah Guan]

I don't even think his wife and children know his past.

I only heard he was one of the main players in the forgotten portion of Malayan history. His piece of the puzzle would join the Communist, Japanese, British and early PAP's story. Unfortunately his story dies with him.

Getting more and more interesting.

I remember asking you a while back about Robert Kuok's brother who fought in the jungles with Chin Peng. Heard he was a rich Raffles boy before the revolutionary bug bit him. Any more stories to share?

*sorry if I'm hijacking this thread for an unrelated topic

 

[scroobal]

Willie Kuok Peng Cheng was a true revolutionary. He set up by the communist press in KL with money given to him by mother. Helping him with the press was Gerald de Cruz. They were colleagues in the Straits Times. The latter disowned communism and helped to run the Political Centre to train sr civil servants about communism. However when emergency was declared, Kuok went into the jungle where he died. Circumstances surrounding the death is not known but it was shortly after emergency was declared.

Willie is very good friend from childhood from JB days was James Puthucheary, his neighbour who was treated as a son by Mrs Kuok. He spent his waking hours in their house.

Gerald de Cruz when retired used to hang around with Devan Nair his ex-communist colleague and was frequent visitor to the Istana during Nair's term. His daughter is Judith Prakash, the High Court judge. Gerald's childhood friend from Katong Days was none other than David Marshall. When Gerald left the communist, he went work for David as a legislative assistant. Gerald's wife was Marshall's long serving confidential secretary.

The world is indeed small.

I remember asking you a while back about Robert Kuok's brother who fought in the jungles with Chin Peng. Heard he was a rich Raffles boy before the revolutionary bug bit him. Any more stories to share?

 

[Ah Guan]

Thanks Scroobal.

I have heard many fables about the players from those glorious days. Pity more and more story tellers are dropping like flies. Hope this forum becomes an archive or sorts for younger people like myself who want to find out the truth.

Thanks again for starting this thread. Looking forward to more.

 

[scroobal]

I share the same. Its a rich time in history but we are in a difficult position in time, that anyone in position of knowledge do not want to reveal much. Some can be put to fear but I suspect that the main reason is the Asian culture of burying the past.

Thanks Scroobal.

I have heard many fables about the players from those glorious days.

 

[Ah Guan]

Some can be put to fear but I suspect that the main reason is the Asian culture of burying the past.

"Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it" - Jim Jones

 

[ChaoPappyPoodle]

I share the same. Its a rich time in history but we are in a difficult position in time, that anyone in position of knowledge do not want to reveal much. Some can be put to fear but I suspect that the main reason is the Asian culture of burying the past.

That's BULLSHIT!

If anything Asian is the reason ehind them hiding from their past, it is to -
1) save themselves faces - this is a more manifest Asian trait
2) protect their families

Both are disappointing as it clearly shows their lack of concern for the populace and brings to light their initial intentions.

As far as I am concerned, every PAP member, including the first generation are perpetrators of our country's current issues. LKY managed to monopolize HDB conveyancing fees for his wife under the full view of the first generation PAP ministers and members.

All this talk of the PAP changing in the 80s or 90s is BULLSHIT. They started by imprisoning their political enemies, many under false pretext. They then enriched themselves as best they could.

If there is a reason why they do not talk about their past then it is because they are too ashamed (save face) and want to protect their families.

Whenever you see PAP, it is a sign of death and imprisonment in the early years. Today, the sign of the PAP is economic enslavement and elitism.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

They started by imprisoning their political enemies, many under false pretext. They then enriched themselves as best they could.

mr Chao , the Pap last time imprison and kill communist people becuase Lky wanted to follows Taiwan ruler Chiang kai shrek and his son .

actually both singapore and taiwan has very close political relationships and circumstance: both are renagade state , constantly under threat of reunifications with the "mainland" , and so have to take america sides.

i dont likes Lky but i dont like communist more . if vietnam that time come down and "liberate" south east asia , we will be die . Yes. Die!

do you knows what is the biggest export of former communist countrys now ? Chicken ! russia and china girl go every corner of the worlds to be prostitute

Communism make their citizen irrelevant to world economy , only valuable things they can sell today is their daughter and sister CB :(

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

Leelaopeh tell you all a stories:

that time in the 50 and 60 , we dont has music idol like lady gaga or backside boys. we only read in newspaper about asian hero like gandhi , nehru , marcos , sukarno , suharto , gaining independant from colonial master, and mao tsedong defeat US army in korea. these people are our hero like david beckham or ronaldhino. the world was simple place for young people like me and mamalee.

the leftist movement chinese school was lead by very capable and charming leaders. they are popular leader who can sacrifices for their brother and sisters. we believe in them . especially after japanese dog cruelty , we believe in having our own corner of the world.

Student activities back then are very pure. we always meet around city. then sing china songs and dance with nanyang girls. then fun turn to serious when student protest started.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

a few month after hock lee bus riot , the student demostrated at school. this is the crucial time to separates the fun loving student and the rebellious student and the real student activists . i remember my friends tell me to dont go for exam. and i was very tempted becuase many student want to be popular. many student who didnt go for exam were also many lousy student who know they cannot pass the exam if they went to sit for it. these student were fought very fiercely with the ang chia mata. some student even got shoot by police and die.

more than 50 year later , i cannot tells you all whether these student were right or wrong. or whether they were controlled and make use by other people.

but i will never forgets that time

 

[Ramseth]

Yeah, yeah. Tang Liang Hong was one of the ringleaders and Lee Kuan Yew was their legal advisor.

a few month after hock lee bus riot , the student demostrated at school. this is the crucial time to separates the fun loving student and the rebellious student and the real student activists . i remember my friends tell me to dont go for exam. and i was very tempted becuase many student want to be popular. many student who didnt go for exam were also many lousy student who know they cannot pass the exam if they went to sit for it. these student were fought very fiercely with the ang chia mata. some student even got shoot by police and die.

more than 50 year later , i cannot tells you all whether these student were right or wrong. or whether they were controlled and make use by other people.

but i will never forgets that time

 

[scroobal]

Bro, thanks for sharing. Those were interesting times and I wish more people from those days can contribute.

a few month after hock lee bus riot , the student demostrated at school. this is the crucial time to separates the fun loving student and the rebellious student and the real student activists . ]

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

No problems. not many of my friend like to talks about this becuase it look like very stupid now. Politic cannot eat.

When in the 70 and 80 alot of us got no degree to finds work in big company so we set up our own business.We just earns our money and saves. We makes sure our childrens must learn english in top school , study hard and not become like us. They must becomes a doctor , becomes a lawyer or accountants.

To many of old chinese educateds like me , politic is no concern now. as long as can makes money we are happy.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

Yeah, yeah. Tang Liang Hong was one of the ringleaders and Lee Kuan Yew was their legal advisor.

i know of some peoples who never let go of the past.

some just at kopishop complain about the bad thing Pap do last time.

then some like mr Tang, stood up and fight one more round

 

[elephanto]

i know of some peoples who never let go of the past.

some just at kopishop complain about the bad thing Pap do last time.

then some like mr Tang, stood up and fight one more round

LeeLaoPeh, based on your experience, you shared that you sent yr children to english schools for their economic future.

You are not alone. In fact, a whole generation of chinese educated parents did what you did for pragmatic reasons.

This inevitable tide of history led to dwindling enrolment in Chinese medium pri schools & eventually lead to the viability of Nantah as an effective operational Chinese U - leading to closure & need to reinvent Nanyang U.

Sadly, Tang & many more Chinese Ed citizens still can't understand why Nantah declined.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

Mr To , education is we all chinese educated peoples top prority. we can sit on cows and horse every days so that our children can has better lifes then us.

The red bricks of Nantah was bought from money donate by samsui womans , trishaw pullers , businessmans , even gangster and other oversea chinese from south east asia and mainland .

Nantah closing is very complicated issue . not so simple like chinese language have no use in 60 and 70 . let me reminds you that the nantah alumni reach the whole world. That networks is very power full. But should discussing this one in another time.

 

[elephanto]

Agree with you, leelaopeh, very complicated issue.

Also very touchy, very sentimental, not everything can be explained by reason, logic or facts 7 figures alone.

Deserving another story another day.

 

[LeeLaoPeh]

Thanks you . I will starts one thread when i have times to tells you the Nantah issue from our point of views .

 

[scroobal]

Bro, I am keen to go further on Nantah and will start a thread on it that is non confrontational so that a good outcome can be achieved and good part of history is saved.

The red bricks of Nantah was bought from money donate by samsui womans , trishaw pullers , businessmans , even gangster and other oversea chinese from south east asia and mainland .

Nantah closing is very complicated issue . not so simple like chinese language have no use in 60 and 70 . let me reminds you that the nantah alumni reach the whole world. That networks is very power full. But should discussing this one in another time.