MELAKA: Dewan Meng Seng at Jalan Bendahara, here, stood witness to the unification of people from all walks of life in seeing through the first prime minister’s independence mission group to England.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, who led the group, left for London to sign the Independence Treaty for the Federation Malaya in 1956.
The historical event remained etched in the mind of Melaka Former Elected Representatives’ Council (Mubarak) member, Datuk Fatimah Ahmad, 80, who was 15 at the time.
She said people gathered at the hall to extend their support and handed their valuables and jewellery to make donations, all to assist Tunku Abdul Rahman in his second trip to London.
“It just so happened that my house in Bukit Cina was located nearby, so I went to the hall and peered through to check out what was going on.
“He (Tunku Abdul Rahman) came to Melaka; the Malays, Chinese, India and Tionghua people gathered (to see him). He said he was not confident in flying to London due to the high cost as the process will take quite a while,” she said when met at the My Story: Insurgency and Pre-Independence Era programme at Dewan Perbadanan Muzium Melaka (PERZIM), Muzium Rakyat, here, today.
Fatimah said Tunku Abdul Rahman also made an appeal to Melaka people to contribute to the cause.
“I felt really sad; all those present unanimously decided to give financial aid (to the mission group).
“The women did not have cash, (instead) they handed their jewellery that was gathered in a the table cloth. That was the spirit of unity showed by the people,” she said.
The programme was launched by PERZIM’s general manager, Datuk Khamis Abas. Also present were representatives from the Malaysian Army, Major N. Rajasaikaran and army veteran, Wong Foh Lim.
Khamis said some 80 school students and undergraduates from institutions in the city participated in the programme.
“The programme was organised to allow those who lived through the insurgency under the armed revolution by Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) to reminisce and relate their experiences to the people,” he said.
