Section 07: Antebellum story

Chu Ren Liang's resourcefulness during the Japanese occupation helped Bahau evade a massacre and saved its residents.

During the Japanese occupation, Bahau nearly went through a massacre. However, why were they able to escape such a disaster? This was because a resourceful resident, Zhu Ren Liang stepped forward to negotiate! Chu Ren Liang's intelligence and spirit of compassion enabled him to establish a friendship with the Japanese military. When there was news of the impending massacre by the Japanese army, he took the initiative to approach the Japanese officers and successfully saved the residents of Bahau from this calamity.

In the early morning of December 8, 1941, the Japanese army forcibly landed in Kota Baharu, northern Kelantan, Malaysia. The British Army Headquarters in Malaysia decided to resist. On that day, fierce fighting between the British and Japanese army continued into the night, resulting in a major defeat for the British force. As a result, the Japanese army occupied the downtown area and airport of Kota Baharu. The Japanese army continued their advance, while the British Army,

It's reported that during that period, Japanese officers were living in a standalone house situated on the incline of the current Kampung Rata in Bahau. This very location was where Chu Renliang engaged in negotiations with the Japanese officers.

due to the lack of sufficient preparation, training, and equipment, suffered multiple defeats under the Japanese army. The Japanese army bombed the British army bases and the airports in Kuantan too. As such, the British air force suffered a severe blow. Shortly after, the British Eastern Fleet lost its combat capability, and Japan gained control over air and sea supremacy in East Malaya. Subsequently, the Malay Peninsula quickly fell, and the Japanese army rapidly advanced southwards along both the eastern and western coasts of the Malay Peninsula, eventually reached Bahau, Negeri Sembilan.

On March 18, 1942, the following year, the Japanese army carried out a gruesome and inhumane massacre in Kampung Ee Longlong Titi, Negeri Sembilan. This shocking merciless act resulted in the death of all 1,474 residents, including men, women, and children. Subsequently, there were rumors where the Japanese would attack Bahau, leaving the residents there pale with fear. Fortunately, Zhu Ren Liang stepped forward and negotiated with the Japanese forces, averting the imminent danger.

Demonstrating Sincerity in Negotiations with the Japanese Army. According to Ye Zuo Xin (85 years old), a resident of Bahau who has migrated to the United States, during the 3 years and 8 months under the rule of the Japanese military, people suffered from hunger and cold, and at the slightest sign of trouble, they would flee with their families to remote areas to hide.

Ye Zuo Xin revealed that Zhu Ren Liang's had a big family. His family members were scattered in Bahau, Seremban, Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, etc.; There were some living in their hometowns in China, and they used to visit him.

Give away fish to villagers free. No rushing in rental collection According to Ye Zuo Xin's recollection, Zhu Ren Liang possessed 5 to 6 fish ponds where he bred a substantial number of song fish and grass carp. When time to clean the ponds, he would sell the larger fish while the smaller ones were distributed among the villagers for free. He planted some coconut trees on the land and built rows of long houses for rental purposes.

In the past, Zhu Ren Liang's family and their entire clan resided in a row of houses in Zhuqu, Bahau. However, these houses were later divided into several households. At present, the only residence left belongs to the family of the late Zhu Hong Qi. Zhu Hong Qi served as a village chief of Zhuqu at one time.

He mentioned that when the immigrants from southern part of China arrived at Bahau and couldn't find a place to stay, they would temporarily reside in his long houses. Furthermore, Zhu Ren Liang wouldn't collect rentals from them until they found employment.

Zhu Ren Liang never pressed other tenants for rental either. Even though they were several months behind on rent. He also instructed his family members not to give any pressure to the tenants who were on arrears of rent. He believed that there ought to have a reason when a tenant couldn't afford the rentals. As life was difficult at that time to make ends meet, there was no need to put pressure on them.

He stated that Zhu Ren Liang understood the brutal actions of the Japanese army at that time and knew that confronting them directly would not be productive. He also understood that the Japanese army responded better to soft approaches rather than forceful ones. Hence, to prevent massacre from happening, he decided to approach the Japanese army proactively with friendliness and sincerity as the Bahau residents. When the Japanese army entered Bahau, they were immediately appeased.

Zhu Ren Liang's policy of appeasement was effective. At one time when the Japanese army suspected that the anti-Japanese forces were hiding in Bahau, so, they planned to carry out a massacre. Zhu Ren Liang stepped forward immediately and negotiated with the Japanese officers. Due to his good relationship with the Japanese army, an imminent village massacre was avoided.

The Japanese army suspected that Bahau was hiding anti-Japanese troops. When there was news that the Japanese military prepared to launch a punitive operation as they suspected Bahau of harboring anti-Japanese forces, everyone was terrified. The news indicated that the Japanese army planned to gather all the residents to ‘the Bahau field’ for massacre. Zhu Ren Liang again approached the Japanese officer and residents of Bahau were able to escape from the tragic massacre. Zhu Ren Liang managed to avert another tragic incident of massacre in Negeri Sembilan.

According to reports, the Japanese officer was residing in a house located on the slope of Kampung Jambu, Bahau. Zhu Ren Liang engaged in a one-hour negotiation with the officer inside the house, ultimately succeeding in persuading the Japanese military to discard their plan of carrying out a massacre in Bahau.

In Ye Zuo's impression of Zhu Ren Liang, who was about 70 years old, had a good temper, generous, tolerant and magnanimous. He cared for the villagers. Indeed, he was a good person.

He added that Zhu Ren Liang was physically obese, had a long beard. He often wore shorts and sat shirtless outside his house to enjoy the cool air. Sometimes he held a pipe and leisurely stuffs red tobacco into the pipe hole, enjoying the pleasure of smoking. Despite being a prominent landlord at the time, Zhu Ren Liang had a kind face and would greet people with a smile.