Chang Ta Kang : Hua Hung Ice Factory and Rice Mill

The Last Days of the Japanese Occupation

My great grandfather, grandfather and father operated the Hua Hung Ice Factory and Rice Mill since the 1927. Throughout the Japanese Occupation, they were fortunate enough to have rice to eat. The family did not have to eat potatoes at all.

But unfortunately my great grandfather passed away in 1943.

It is a family joke that my father did not meet my mother during the war. So it was unfortunate  for my mother as she and her siblings were so tired of eating sweet potatoes. Whatever rice my mother planted, had to be first given to the elderly and the children. The rest who were stronger ate less white rice.

9th March 1945 - When the Allied Forces came, bombs were dropped on the banks of the Rajang and the Igan, but luckily no bomb was dropped on Hua Hung Ice Factory.  And that spared my father, his siblings and parents.

One stray bomb was dropped in Sibu town, damaging the back walls of the Masland Church and a few shops.  So many people retreated to seek protection from their relatives in the villages.

Then came June when many people died after a few more bombs were dropped. Streets and shops in Sibu were badly damaged.

However, my father was not sure of the real figures. The residents of Sibu were petrified and many actually rushed in the jungles, leaving the town for quite a number of hours whenever they heard planes coming near Sibu. It was a panicky time in the town.

For many days, the Japanese were seen to be on a retreating mode, after burning their uniforms, and even vehicles at a place fairly near the Lau King Howe Hospital. This was seen by many of our relatives who lived in Sg. Bidut.

 Many of the Japanese soldiers ( they were called deserters) took their powered boats up to Song and Kapit. It was said many of them actually were beheaded by the locals. It was quite chaotic in Sibu then.

When news of the atomic bombs (9th August 1945)were dropped in Japan spread to the villages, there was quite a bit of fear actually. Some did not know what kind of bombs they were. The bombs of the Allies were bad enough.

My father and his friends who had been building the Sibu Airport were also saddened that a lot of their work was "bombed" by the Allies. Two bombs were dropped near Sg. Merah behind the Tien Doh Tong but Sg. Merah bazaar was saved and that was very fortunate.

Many of the able bodied men all came to the town to see what action should be taken next. The last few of the Japanese in Sibu were moved to Kuching on 17th Sept. 1945. On 11th October the Allied Government issued a written notice to tell every one to be disciplined and orderly.

The troops gave out clothes and food to the locals who behaved in very orderly manners according to my father. The Malay and Iban Headman, together with the Chinese leaders (Lau Kah Tii, Ling Kai Cheng,etc) made sure that everything was well distributed.