Page 89 - Stories from our Grandparents

Mdm Misliah Bte Ibrahim
y grandmother, or Nani*, was born By Nadiah Amberlina bte Suhaimi
post-World War II (WWII) on 12 Millennia Institute Born 1947
December 1947 and was raised in
MSingapore throughout her life. Her
mother, a Muslim originating from Ceylon (now
known as Sri Lanka), married her dad, an Indian-
Malay from Malaya during WWII. According to her, It was only during the last day of the riots that my great-grandmother
when her dad was working for the Royal Malaysian opened the door, after checking the beams of the house that they
Navy, during WWII, the ship that his battalion was were unarmed and accepted a few Chinese people into their house
on, from Malaya, got bombed by the Japanese. overnight. They did not do it earlier because the village chief told
So those that survived were stranded at Ceylon. the Malays not to or the whole family would risk getting attacked too,
even if they were only trying to provide shelter to the innocent and
However, when the Japanese invaded non-trouble seeking Chinese residents. In addition, due to the fact
Ceylon too, the locals married their that her family reared a few cows, sheep, chickens and ducks, and
daughters to the Muslim men that even grew a variety of vegetables, they rarely left the house to avoid
arrived, and that is how her parents getting involved in the fights.
got married.
“My grandmother believes that Singapore has grown to
She had a total of 9 siblings, excluding herself, and worked 2 different
jobs throughout her life. The first being a night-shift worker at a factory become a better nation compared to the state that it was 50
assembling parts, then as a replacement chef at the Brunei Palace, years ago. She also believes that the younger generation of
when she lived in Brunei with my grandfather for 12 years. She lived in our country is more advantaged unlike the older generation
the same kampong house she grew up in till the day she got married and we should be grateful for all that we have right now.”
and had my mother.

Based on the story of my great-grandmother as conveyed
by my mum, my grandmother was very timid when she
was young. Prior to the days leading to Singapore’s * Nani is a hindi term used to call our
independence, during the riots between the Malays and maternal grandmother.
the Chinese, she would hide under my great-grandmother’s
sarong every time somebody knocked on their house door
seeking shelter.