Page 105 - Stories from our Grandparents

rs Ong Ting Li recalled her past during the Japanese Occupation Mdm Lola P
in Singapore. It was a terrifying and traumatic experience Born 1924
for her and her family, one that she would never forget till By Rowell Raphael Torres
Mthe day she dies. She spoke of the cruelty demonstrated by Millennia Institute
the Japanese soldiers as those soldiers always took the opportunity
to rape every young girl that they saw, especially the pretty ones, and
beat boys for no reason just to show off their power. They did not show was 17 years old when we received news about the Japanese invasion
any conscience at all. To save herself from such a situation, Mrs Ong’s of the country. I lived in the countryside so I did not receive the news as
mother cut her hair short to resemble a boy and fit her into her brother’s soon as the people in the city did. As soon as the news came, everyone
star
clothes. Mrs Ong said that she would rather face the harsh beatings I ted panicking and everything was chaotic. The village head gathered
of the Japanese rather than have herself be physically and mentally everyone at the centre of the village and instructed everyone to remain
violated. To hear such a thing definitely made me empathise with the calm and go to hiding in the meantime. He asked the men to standby
many others like Mrs Ong who had to go through such an experience. at night to keep watch for any movement along the forest. Everyone
could not sleep soundly as we were all terrified that the Japanese would
“Mrs Ong recollected a time when her own brother come and kill us all. Days passed and the men grew tired and the village
was badly beaten up by the Japanese for forgetting head needed to think of a new plan as we could not continue staying
put. After what seemed like a week from the initial day we received
to bow to them. She felt helpless as there was the news, the village head decided we had to move to a new place.
nothing she could do to help him.”
“Everyone gathered their belongings and started to
She also expressed how youths today are
unappreciative of the plentiful food that is trek deeper in the forest moving as quiet as possible.
served to them. Compared to today, Mrs We were running out of food and decided to camp
Ong and her family had to scrape every out near a river.”
penny they could get their hands on just
for a small bag of rice. Mrs Ong would I had a close friend in the village but the village head instructed us to split
then ensure that no grain of rice went to waste by her or any of her family into two groups and she ended up in the other group. I never saw her ever
members. In fact, food was so scarce that most of the time they ended again and I constantly think about her now and then. We continued our
eating just boiled sweet potatoes. There were days when they had no food search for a new shelter and we came across another group. We decided
to eat. This has definitely made me realise the importance of valuing what to stay together and protect each other. For the next few months we had
we have and be grateful for how easily we are able to attain food and other to always move and our village head always reminded us that if we stopped
things. Life is indeed so good for us now compared to moving, the Japanese will find us and kill us. Every one of us prayed to god
during the war. that we will never be found.

Mdm ong Ting Li
Born 1932

By Pereira Sarah Marissa
Millennia Institute
46 Grandma Stories Grandma Stories 47