Alor MerahPart 1

Mr Ramayah A/L Letchumanan, 15, worked as a plantation labourer in Ladang Chempedak, Gurun, Kedah before accepting a job at he Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KMM) training camp at Alor Merah, Jitra, Kedah in 1943. His father and older brother volunteered to go to the Death Railway, lured by promises made by the Japanese.

At KMM he worked as a delivery boy and a food server. He used his bicycle to deliver the laundry to the launderette at Kepala Batas. He shared his room with two Indians of Malayalee descent, Pookan and Senthu Nair who worked as chefs in the camp. His monthly wage was 600 (banana money) and there was adequate food for the local workers.

Alor MerahPart 2

Later on he became an electrician in the camp, and signed up for the Indian National Army, which he wasn't allowed to join until he was 18. Ramayah worked at Alor Merah for one and a half years. After that, the Japanese sent him to Kuala Lumpur in early 1945. He worked there for only four months because Japan had admitted defeat on August, 1945.

The trees at the padang

"Five bodies, five trees," said Ethelin Lee, a survivor of the Japanese Occupation. While only two remain today, she remembers thieves being hung there by the Japanese as a warning to all would-be thieves.

Maybank Kuantan

The site of the original Chung Hwa school, survivor Ethelin Lee said it was the former HQ for the Kempeitai.

Mcdonald’s Teluk Cempedak

The brightly coloured fast-food chain holds a dark past - survivor Ethelin Lee claims that the bodies of traitors are buried beneath.

Machang, KuantanPart 1

I'm Hanisom. My mother, Timah binti Abdullah is a survivor of WWII Japanese Occupation. She has a lot of stories on her survival as little girl during the hard time in Kelantan. She is now ~75 yrs old.

Sadly though, during WWII my mum lost her mum when she turn 5 years old due to illnesses ..to support her young children . My mum said her mum used to walk on foot from Tanah Merah, Kelantan to Machang, Kelantan to sell kuih and laksa to local workers at that time were constructing small airport field in Machang..in modern day, such journey will take at least 30 minutes by car.

Machang, KuantanPart 2

My late grandfather could not exposed himself for him being afraid to be found and send to construct railway in Thai-Burma. On her final day, my late grandmother did not get paid because all of the workers were not getting their salary from the Japanese.. became sick from fatigue and lack of nutrition and eventually passed away.

Kamunting, Parit BuntarPart 1

My grandma has 9 siblings. She's the third child in the family. When the Japanese came, she was only 9 years old, and her two older sisters followed her dad to work outside (cutting wood). So she has to be the one to manage the family, cook for them, do all the house chores, all at 9 years old.

Every day, her mom would walk from Kamunting to Parit Buntar, and wait by the train tracks. They would stealthily go to the train which carries packets of rice, and poke a hole in the gunny sack. When the train moves, the grains of rice would spill across the railway tracks, and the villagers would get as much rice as they can from the train tracks.

Kamunting, Parit BuntarPart 2

From this small amount of rice, my grandma managed to cook porridge with a little tapioca inside, That was a luxury. Occasionally, she would fry tapioca with flour. Once, word about how Japanese soldiers are going to every village to take away girls had come to my grandma's family's ears. My grandma's mom brought my grandma and her sisters to a corner and rubbed mud and soot all over their faces, and cut all of their hair extremely short. All of them looked like boys. In the end, when the Japanese came, they didn't get taken away.

Kamunting, Parit BuntarPart 3

Another event that happened at their household was that, one day, two Japanese soldiers came in with their swords. They wanted to kill/behead a boy who was caught doing something deemed unsatisfactory to the Japanese. The boy was in their house at the time. My grandma's father acted swiftly by immediately reaching into his pockets and taking out a picture of the Japanese King from his wallet. The two Japanese soldiers saw the picture, thought my grandma's family was loyal to the Japanese, immediately bowed to the picture, and left the house. My grandma's father said he kept the picture just in case something like this happened.

Kamunting, Parit BuntarPart 4

All the children were rounded up to be brought to Japanese schools. My grandma could still remember the Japanese National Anthem really clearly in her mind as they were forced to sing it. That time, they were taught Japanese, but my grandma didn't have a clue on what the teachers were talking, so in the end the students made the Japanese teacher mad instead, haha! Also, she has a very big hatred towards the Japanese until now (she would go anywhere in the world except Japan), she will never forget the Japanese soldier who gave her a piece of chocolate undercover.

Papan

Kee Ah Lek and her siblings hid among the grass to avoid being caught by the Japanese, who were looking for Communist sympathisers.

Ipoh Railway Station

Victor Amaloo was on night duty here where he freed some locals, who were tricked into becoming laborers. "Just before the train left, I selected a few off the train, telling others in the goods train that I'm giving the few selected men a food pass for all of the men when the train arrived in Prai. I took them to the end of the railway station and told them to escape," said Victor.

Jelapang

Victor Amaloo ran to a nearby banana plantation for cover as he heard Japanese planes approaching. All of a sudden, he heard a loud bomb blast. He looked around for the bomb site and there he saw a woman's decapitated body falling to the side, awning to a bomb shrapnel.

Jalan Sungai Pari

Young Victor Amaloo remembers the most frightening day during the Occupation - when the Japanese planes bombed the goods shed, where retreating British forces were loading ammunition, gasoline drums, tanks and military vehicles into freight and open flat rail cars to go to Singapore. Victor, who was carrying his one-year-old sister, ran with the rest of his family to safety in Jalapan. "As we ran, it was so frightening to be pushed down by the air pressure of each bomb blast. The scary part was to see metal shrapnel of all sorts flying above and whistling by," said Victor, who wrote in via email. He added: "However, what was dangerous to say the least and what all of us could not bear at the time was the fact that at every bomb blast, hot burning oil droplets fell on us."

Sungai Siput

N. Pushparani (pictured)'s father was helping a hospital assistant here to care for the wounded soldiers and run errands for the Japanese. "Numerous Japanese soldiers occupied the lower floor (of the bungalow turned mini hospital) and it was always very noisy," she said.

Sitiawan

Casey Liu recalls the time her father was confined in a foetal position under a big jar at a police station after the Japanese soldiers found a badge - which was given to her father in recognition of his financial contribution to a political party in China, Kuomintang - at her family's two-storey shop here.

Ladang Cashwood, Ayer TawarPart 1

Working as a labourer in Ladang Cashwood, M. Ponnusamy was influenced by Indian independence fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. An agent of the Japanese sweet-talked him into joining the Death Railway voluntarily, but upon reaching the train station in Taiping he realised what he had signed up for.

Hundreds of labourers were kept in train carriages filled with vomit and the Japanese hit those who asked for food. During this time, he met another man called Ponnusamy who had been forced to leave his young wife and aging mother.

Ladang Cashwood, Ayer TawarPart 2

Ponnusamy did many type of jobs, from scavenging to being an undertaker. One of the most unforgettable experiences was having to sleep with a corpse (some were headless) because he was exhausted. Sometimes, he even used the corpse as a pillow.

The other Ponnusamy passed away from starvation, torture and exhaustion, but before he died, asked M. Ponnusamy to take care of his family. He agreed to do so, and managed to escape and followed the train tracks home, where he married his friend's widow and took care of her mother.

Ladang Cashwood, Ayer TawarPart 3

What broke Ponnusamy’s heart was that no one appreciated the forced labourers at the Death Railway who sacrificed their lives. Didn’t they sacrifice their lives for the country? Should their history be left unwritten and forgotten?

Ladang BikamPart 1

At 27, K.N Sellapah was a field conductor in Ladang Bikam (formerly Ladang Naborough). Initially, the Japanese tried to convince the workers to join by offering free train rides, healthcare, housing and a daily salary of 1 Straits dollar as compared to the salary of 15 - 25 cents during the British administration.

When this failed they forced them to join, with 400 - 500 romusha held in a train carriage. After being sent to Thailand, Sellapah was separated from his friends at Kanchanaburi. When he returned to Malaysia in 1945, only 47 of his friends had survived. In Kanchanaburi, Sellappah was in charge of helping the Japanese Quartermaster to monitor and distribute food to the romusha.

Ladang BikamPart 2

Lured by the promise of a better life, some workers brought their families with them, and the women were forced to be labourers like the men, while the children cleaned the camp. The workers were exposed to many diseases due to poor sanitation, and thousands died.

Until his dying day, Sellapah was disappointed that the Japanese and British governments failed to take care of the welfare of the romusha of Malaya and no compensation was given to their families.

Ladang Sungai BogakPart 1

Nadaraja Narasimulu was 18 when he was forced to work on the Death Railway in Thailand, at the end of 1942. Originally a worker at a rubber processing factory in Ladang Sungai Bogak, he and 120 workers were put on a train to Sungai Petani, Kedah, before reaching their final destination of Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

As a labourer, Nadaraja said he didn't have a shortage of food and they were fed rice and wild boar. He was fortunate not to be tortured, but remembered hearing the screams of those deemed too sick to live being buried alive.

Ladang Sungai BogakPart 2

At the end of 1944, Nadaraja suffered a cut on the head when he was hit by a rock that came from a boulder that was blasted by a dynamite. He was sent to the Kanchanaburi hospital for treatment. There, he met two dressers, Mr. Gopal from Singapore and Mr. Sangara from Malim Nawar, Perak. After his recovery, they advised Nadaraja to stay with them to avoid going back to the camp. He stayed with them for 6 months and helped them by bringing malaria medicines to nearby Siam kampungs, selling them for 300-400 baht and sharing the earnings.

Travelling with them by train, he was lucky to return to Ladang Sungai Bodak unscathed and reunited with his family.

Kuala Lumpur

A Japanese citizen Kazué Yano lived in Malaysia for a while in hopes to hear firsthand accounts from World War II survivors in Malaya. Last year, she met Constance Choong, 95, who grew up in KL during the Occupation. In her email submission, Yano recalls Choong's story where she had to run away from the Japanese guards because she refused to bow and say, "thank you, sir" in Japanese as she passed a checkpoint. The guard yelled and pointed a gun at her. Afraid, Choong's first instinct was to run! She managed to escape by hiding from the guards, who after a while, stopped searching.

Pudu

Reader Vicky Chia said: My late grandfather’s encounter with the Japanese, as told to me by my mother. All need to bow on seeing the Japanese soldiers as a form of respect. On one occasion, they accused my grandfather of not bowing and forced him to hold up his bicycle high in the air as punishment.

Salak South

Vicky Chia's husband's late grandmother was in her early 20's during WWII. Her village was somewhere near Salak South and while they stayed indoors during the day, they would sleep in the jungle at night.

Kuala Lumpur General Hospital

Eugenie Lariche and her family were rounded up and taken to Hospital Kuala Lumpur as workers for the Japanese. Her father carried food trays, her mother washed bandages, her brother made tea, and she and her sisters worked in the wards.

Old Pavilion Theatre Roundabout

Reader John Robson witnessed the execution of three Chinese people, who were accused of being spies for the British force.

Royal Museum

The former Istana Negara was originally owned by a Chinese businessman, Chan Wing. Taken over by the Japanese during the Occupation, it was used as their headquarters.

Dataran Merdeka

During the Japanese Occupation, the padang was used as a training ground for the Japanese and the Indian National Army (INA). Tan Sri Chong Hon Nyan recalls seeing the Japanese practicing kendo and INA recruits marching with wooden rifles.

Seremban

Patricia Lariche remembers hiding in toilets to escape being raped by the Japanese. Her father was working as the chief clerk of Cheriot Estate, but was taken away to work on the infamous 'Death Railway' in Thailand.

Negeri Sembilan

When I was young my grandma (deceased) used to relate the suffering of the local citizens under the Japanese rule. My mother-in-law now aged about 85++ years old, still fresh in her mind while referring to the Japanese era. She lives in Jelebu ( locally known as Titi Kang) - state of Negeri Sembilan, where villages was forced to dig their own graves - many were simultaneously beheaded, some even buried alive.

SerembanPart 1

The late Chee Keong was a photographer in Seremban during the war – an occupation which later helped saved his life. When the Japanese took over Malaya, they ordered that every photo that was sent to be developed be submitted for censorship by the Japanese authorities before the photo studios were allowed to give the processed photos to their customers. He was also among those who were put into Japanese language classes and did very well in the language school.

How did this save his life? One day, Japanese soldiers came into the part of Seremban that he was in. They ordered that all the men line up in the middle of the street.

SerembanPart 2

Nobody knew what was happening and they were kept standing there for 2 hours.

Suddenly, a Japanese Kempetai, Akai-San called out to Chee Keong, “Photographer! what are you doing there? Go home!” He had interacted with Akai-San before because of the photos he had to deliver for inspection every day. This encounter saved his life, because later on, all the young men from that day were never heard of again.

Penang

Born in 1916, Lim was in Penang during the war. He said the Japanese soldiers roamed around looking for local girls. The editor of the local newspaper, the Echo came up with an idea and rounded up all the prostitutes in Penang and brought them to one location, where he presented them to the Japanese commander. He told him - please tell your men to stop disturbing our local girls in the streets, just use these prostitutes. So they did and all the (non-prostitute) girls of Penang were safe and could cycle around town safely.

High School Bukit Mertajam

Tan Thai Hong (right) says the field - Jacobs Green - at Bukit Mertajam High School was used as a killing field. The Japanese used to shoot 'traitors' there.

Jalan Asmara

Survivor Tan Thai Hong (right) remembers the Japanese using a house on Jalan Asmara for 'interrogation.' Traitors or people they didn't like were given water torture among other things. According to Tan, the house is now haunted.

Nibong Tebal

The great grandfather of a BRATs participant Choo Xin Er was blindfolded and captured by the Japanese before he was taken to an unknown location for a couple of nights. After that, he became depressed and committed suicide.

Wesley Methodist Church

Behind Wesley Methodist Church was a house, used by the Kempeitai. Survivor James Jeremiah said the horrors he witnessed working under the Japanese pushed him to work in the railway instead.

Padang Kota Lama

Members of the public were rounded up and forced to stand in front of a stage, where a blindfolded informer pointed out those who were 'anti-Japanese'. Sadly, the informers were often Malaysians themselves, driven by either fear, greed or revenge to rat out their own people.

Fort Auchry

Now a Malaysian military base, this site used to house Fort Auchry, which was later turned into a military school after the war. Survivor James Jeremiah was posted here a guard by the Japanese.

Penang Old Museum and the old airport

The Penang War museum is filled with remnants from the Occupation. When the fort and airport fell to the Japanese, many of the rooms and chambers were used for torture. Survivor James Jeremiah, 92, ran for his life as the bombs fell on the old airport.

Mount Erskine Cantonese Cemetery

A sprawling Cantonese Cemetery, in between the tombstones you can still see the remains of pillboxes built by the British and their Allies.

Fort Cornwallis

Bombed by the Japanese during their invasion of Malaya, the Fort remains as a tourist attraction today. Survivor James Jeremiah tells his tale at rage.com.my/lastsurvivors

Istana Bukit Serene

The official residence for the Sultan of Johor provided a bird's eye view of Singapore for the Japanese, who were welcomed as friends and allowed to use the palace. General Yamashita was right in his prediction that British would not dare attack the royal palace.

Pantai Sabak

One of the landing points of the Japanese when they first invaded Malaya. Survivor Omar Senik, 85, was singing songs with the Allied forces on the beach when gunfire erupted around him.

Meng Seng building

Now a Chinese charity hall, the Meng Seng building was an infamous place of torture by the Kempeitai. Survivor Andrew Carvalho said those who went in, never came out.

Jalan Meru

According to an email by Chan Vy Sing, his father Chan Peng Fook avoided arrest by the Japanese as he skipped a night of Mandarin lessons, where the Japanese Kempeitai raided the class on suspicion of subversive activities, and arrested the teacher and some students. They were imprisoned at the Pudu Gaol in KL for the duration of the war. He heard some of them died from torture.

Klang

On the morning of Christmas eve 1941, Japanese warplanes bombed Port Swettenham (now known as Port Klang). After that, they bombed Klang Town, where then 14-year-old Chan Peng Fook happened to be at that time. He survived by following the instructions of the Air Raid Precaution (ARP), which is to lay flat on the ground, underneath a table.

Morib

Reader Yatasha Yusof's grandfather Johari witnessed the landing of the British forces here on September 9, 1945. For the full story, go to rage.com.my/survivors-contribution

Kampung Kelanang, Banting

According to reader Yatasha Yusof, the Japanese invading forces reached her grandfather Johari's kampung on Jan 1942, searched their house, and took their bicycle and watch.

Stadium Jugra

In October 1943, reader Yatasha Yusof's grandfather Johari worked as a labourer at the Japanese Naval Shipyard in Telok Datok. It's now known as Stadium Jugra.

KlangPart 1

During the war, Chan Peng Fook was forced to attend Japanese school - but his knowledge of Japanese later helped him get a job at a Japanese company.

In the mornings, the employees would have to do “taiso” – physical exercises and oath-taking to swear loyalty to the company. His Japanese bosses were kind, and even bought instruments so the staff could form a band.

KlangPart 2

When a local colleague was slapped by a Japanese officer, his boss went to see the commander, who had the officer reprimanded. When a female relative of Peng Fook’s was abducted by the Japanese to be used as a comfort woman, her husband’s Japanese boss helped obtain her release.

Kuching

While Michael was Sarawakian, he was adopted by an Australian couple and held in a prisoner of war camp along with his parents and other expats. He and his brother were the only Sarawakians inside the camp, and said while he was sure it was hard for his parents, he had a happy childhood. The camp was saved from death by the Japanese commander in charge, who ignored the order to send them on a death march. The death march order letter was found in a desk after the camp was liberated by Australian soldiers. After liberation the whole camp went and stood in the local square and sang a song together.

Ranau

Mohd Iqbal Rashim said his grandmother lived in Ranau throughout the Occupation. She used to take his mother to hide from bomber planes whenever she heard them approach.