Thursday, November 24, 2005

Meeting the communist chairman


In Ban Chulabhorn 12, I also met the Chairman of the Communist Party of Malaya and the husband of Suriani Abdullah (Eng Ming Ching), Cik Dat bin Anjang Abdullah. He is popularly known as Abdullah CD.

Born In October, 1923 in Perak's Lambor Kiri which is under the Parit District, Pak Abdullah studied in both Malay and English schools before he joined the first Malay anti-colonial nationalist organisation Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM). During Japanese occupation, he organised and operated a 100-strong Malay guerilla forces, in close collaboration with the communists, resisting and fighting the fascists along the Perak River.

His sister Kamariah also worked for the anti-Japanese united front.

Pak Abdullah joined the Communist Party of Malaya, together with his friend Seman, in May 1945 in his kampong in Lambor Kiri. He still remembers, at that time, there were already Malay members and cadres of the Communist Party of Malaya he had already known like Rashid Maidin, Baharuddin Tahir, Osman, Mokhtaruddin, Khatijah Ali, Harun, Zulkifri Auni and Arshad Ashaari.

He has written many books on the history of the anti-colonial movements and activities. When came to history, he spoke like a professor. Pak Abdullah is also one of the three signatories to the 1989 Peace Accords.

Merdeka history in new light

Abdullah CD - CPM's Malay front