As we discussed the events and incidents evolving in the Klang Strike 1941, we noticed there were adequate evidences to suggest there was a clear leadership, effective communication and coordinated call for actions in leading the strike which galvanised over 20 thousand Indian workers (most are born and bred on estates in Malaya) from over 120 estates in Selangor and some part of Negeri Sembilan.
This evidence are in sync with notion proposed by Taiwan historian, Tai Yuan, who wrote extensively on labour unrest in Malaya. Tai Yuan claimed in his work that the Klang Strike was one of the "best organised" labour strikes in Malaya.
Now, some of the local scholars would mistakenly understood "best organised" over "best planned" strike ever staged by Indians in Malaya with a sense of over zealousness. Best organised not necessarily means best planned as the latter would have led to different outcome of the strike. Well planned strike would have the leaders to see through the exit plan or even in some strikes, the organiser would escalated the strike to a different stage, which we did not see in the Klang Strike 1941.
The reason why I am saying the Klang Strike count not be the "best planned" strike in Malaya after coming across a newspaper report on the court case proceeding related to Bukit Sembilan Estate incident on the 9th May 1941.
The Malayan Tribune reported on 25th June 1941 on a court inquest proceeding chaired by Kuala Selangor District Officer A.D York. In the inquest, R. Burns, the OSPC Klang and Port Swettenham gave his account on incident took place.
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| Author's impression on labourer protesting attempts by Manager Mr.Gomm removing the rubber consignments using Jawanese and Chinese labourers. Indian labourers on the Bukit Panjang Estate were on strike demanding for the rights. |
1. In his first attempt to remove rubber sheet consignment from the store on the 8th May turned futile. The Bukit Panjang estate Manager, Mr. Gomm informed that he would remove the consignment using Chinese and Jawanese workers as the Indians labourer are on strike.
2. On the 9th May accompanied by police officers, Mr. Gomm arrived the estate at around 2.30 afternoon.
3. The labourers blocked the entrance and was seen armed with sticks and stone. They were youngsters within 15 to 20 years old.
4. Four lorries drawn up to a wooden bridge. The CPO Forbes Wallace ordered R.Burns to guard the bridge.
5. When Burns arrived at the bridge, he was some of the labourers are removing the planks.
6. The drivers of the lorries drove to a little further where a concrete bridge located and noticed tree trunks are placed across blocking the path.
7. When the police attempt to remove the tree trucks to allow the lorries to move into the estate, they met with angry labourers who threw stones, sticks and bottles. The labourers confronted the drivers and yelled at the them and questioning their intention to come to the estate knowing the labourers are on strike demanding their rights.
8. The police was badly outnumbered facing a hundred angry youngsters.
9. A police sergeant injured on his right leg. Burns was injured on his right ankle. The police managed to disperse the crowd.
10. As the lorries with consignments were not retrieved yet from the estate, the police returned with a greater strength of 160 personnel. At 3.30pm to 4pm - the labourers regrouped and armed themselves with sticks, stone and long slender poles with sharpened and pointed at one edge - spears. At this time the police were met with 500 to 600 labourers. They were organised from nearby estates. In the clash two casualties - Rengasamy from Bukit Cheraka Estate and Yellumalai from Highlands Estate.
11. In the confrontation, OCPD Kuala Selangor Stockdale had a bad cut on his eye.
12. Labourer dispersed after the clash. Not long after, another group of labourers reappeared. Four Tamils from the group approached Burns and expressed their regrets over the incident and said sorry. Around 6.30pm, Burns told the labourers to go back to their home.
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| Author's impression on the Bukit Panjang Incident on the 9th May 1941 resulted in two deaths - Rengasamy (Bukit Cheraka Estate) and Yellumalai (Highlands Estate) - Klang Strike 1941 |
It is quite puzzling why they were four Tamils approached the OSPC expressing their regrets over the incident and asking for forgiveness. If this would have been a planned attack, workers would not interfered in midst of riot/clash. The labourers would have been continue with the attack as the police were outnumbered. More casualties among the police would occurred.
My presumption is that the first group of labourers would have been the hot-headed youngsters who tried to confront the police on their own. The four Tamils would have been the Kanganies who also stood in solidarity with the workers but they are not a hot-headed like the youngsters.
My conclusion was this was not well planned but a well organised strike. If this would have been well planned strike, the labourers would not avoided casualties and would not have a group of kanganies or elder labourers apologizing over the undesirable incident to the police force.
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