13th May 1969

13th May 1969 was a very significant day in the history of Malaysia especially in politics and in race relation. A major race riot happened between the Chinese and the Malays after the general election. People living outside of the Klang Valley and perhaps Penang and Perak, may not remember the incident well since the riot took place only in certain states. For my family and I this date is a significant date for us. I was 6 years old that year and attending kindergarten. Going to kindergarten was not common among children of that time like it is today. Perhaps parents were not aware of the function of kindergartens.
Anyways, what I remember that day was my mom returning from work in the late afternoon looking a bit anxious. My father had already returned back from work and was ready to go to Kuala Lumpur with a cousin and two of his friends to either pick up or to sent someone to the railway station. My mom told us that the Chinese and the Malays were killing each other in Kuala Lumpur and she asked my father not to go. My father who was always willing to do things for his friends did not heed to my mom's request and went to Kuala Lumpur anyway. I don't remember how my mother reacted after that but I assumed she was upset and worried. We did not see my father for about 10 days after that. Yes, he was stucked in Kuala Lumpur and could not returned as there was a curfew imposed by the government.

So my mother was left alone to look after my brother and I in a state of utter anxiousness afraid that the Chinese might come to our neighborhood and kill us all. Luckily we had our neighbors who were students of a well-known Islamic School who came to check on us regularly and to update us on the latest happening. Afraid of what will happen to all of us our neighbours started to cut down bamboos and turning them into spears. I remember there were a lot bamboo spears and 'parangs' laid under a cupboard ready to be used if anything were to happen. Luckily nothing happened. We did not know what had happened to my father since we did not have a telephone. It was considered a luxury item back then.

After everything was over one morning my father returned and came in through our kitchen door. My brother and I was in the kitchen having breakfast that time. I can't remember where my mother was, probably she was back at work. My dad came to us and kissed us on the cheek. That was the one of the two times that I can remember he had ever kissed me on the cheek. The other time when I was about to return to the States after a 3-month summer break here. I remember I wasn't jumping up and down when I saw him since I was not closed to my father and frankly I didn't really like him. He looked unkempt and had not had a shave. He told us that he saw dead bodies on the streets and also in the Klang river and cars being burnt. On the way to KL he saw many cars going on the opposite direction meaning that they were anxiously leaving KL. During that time he and the other three had gone to one of my aunties' house.

After that I remember the Muhibbah advert and song were shown and played many times over the telly and the radio. Only one person that we knew became of victim of the riot. He was a nice chubby Chinese man we call 'gemuk' we called for our electrical and appliances problem.