The Story of the Taiping-Born Soldier Executed by the Japanese
Lt Ibrahim bin Sidek was born in Taiping, Perak. He began his military service in 1933 and held service number 12 out of the first 25 Malay Regiment soldiers.
Similarly, Lt Ariffin bin Sulaiman held service number 8 and was also born in Taiping, Perak. This story was sourced from a social media post by Omar Din, the grandson of Lt Ibrahim bin Sidek. One of the earliest Malay Regiment soldiers to hold service number 12, Lt Ibrahim bin Sidek, passed away alongside his comrade-in-arms, Lt Ariffin bin Sulaiman, who held service number 8, along with five other Malay Regiment officers who were executed by a Japanese firing squad in Singapore. It remains a question why their struggle has not been as widely publicized as that of Lt Adnan bin Saidi.
Lt Ariffin bin Sulaiman - No 8
Before the firing squad execution was carried out, they were held as prisoners of war following the British surrender on February 15, 1942.
Lt Ibrahim bin Sidek - No 12
The Japanese military gave all those in detention three choices and a period of fourteen days, or two weeks, to think and make a decision. The three choices were: to remove their military uniforms, return to their villages, and become ordinary civilians; the second option was to serve with the Japanese military; or the final option was to remain in uniform and continue to resist the Japanese military. Throughout the two-week period given by the Japanese military to deliberate, all those in detention were subjected to severe forms of abuse. This included physical and mental torture, among others. It was like a living hell for us ordinary citizens if we were to put ourselves in their shoes, facing various forms of abuse from the Japanese military. Only those who were resilient and steadfast could endure it. On the early morning of February 28, 1942, all detainees were brought to an open area to hear the decisions regarding the choices provided. What shocked and angered the Japanese military was that all seven detained Malay Regiment officers unanimously chose the third option: to remain in uniform and continue to resist the Japanese military. Immediately after that, the Japanese military ordered them and several other civilians to dig their own graves before the execution was carried out.
Late that same afternoon, they were ordered to line up with their backs to the Japanese soldiers to prepare to face the firing squad. The execution by the Japanese firing squad could not be avoided. We at orangperak.com cannot imagine the feelings of those standing in line, waiting for their bodies to be pierced by Japanese bullets from behind. Try to put yourself in their position, knowing you would certainly be shot from behind at any moment. Finally, all seven Malay Regiment officers and several civilians were shot dead after several volleys were fired by the Japanese military. Thus, they were martyred as Muslim brothers who fought to defend the country against the Japanese military. One civilian of Chinese descent, who was among the victims of the execution, was fortunate as the Japanese bullets only struck his arm.
After being shot in the arm, the victim collapsed, fainted, and was covered by the Japanese military with other bodies, as they did not realize or notice that one person was still alive. The lucky individual was a civilian photographer. When the victim regained consciousness, he escaped that night when conditions permitted, and that is how this event was uncovered. Why did all seven Malay Regiment officers unanimously choose the third option to remain in uniform and continue to resist the Japanese military? According to his grandson, Omar Din, perhaps they did not want the Islamic faith practiced by the people in the country to be toyed with by the Japanese, they did not want the Malay race to be colonized further, they did not want the country's wealth to be seized by the Japanese, they did not want Malay customs to be altered, and perhaps their deaths were meant to set an example of the identity of a Malay who does not give up until the end of their life for the younger generation.
If you were in their place as one of the detained Malay Regiment officers, what would your choice be from the three options given by the Japanese military? Please think deeply before making a choice. What we at orangperak.com believe is that whatever choice you might have made, you would still have been executed by the Japanese military because they could not be trusted and were extremely cruel.
