remember to this day that for many years there was a real shortage of imported goods and good food. Most of them relied on basic farm produce while the coffee shops tried to offer basic noodles and bian nik. Fried Chicken and Char Siew were just beginning to appear in the food scene. Post war recovery was slow under the Allied Military Rule and then the British Colonial Rule.
Many who were about 10 or 11 then would be 86 now.
One of them told me how the bombs came when she was then 10 years old. Her mother had married before the war and she had another younger sibling. As a shopkeeper's grand daughter, she was almost killed when one of the bombs was dropped behind the Methodist Primary school, which actually almost flattened Chung Hua School. The Masland Church was slightly damaged and had to be rebuilt.
Soon after the war, the construction of Central Road, and Raminway (led by the construction of the Wharf Labourers' Association Building. Construction was slow then and it probably took several years for those roads to be completed, and the shophouses having their openeing ceremonies.
One big celebration was the opening of the Heng Hua Building and then the birthday of the mother of Towkay Ngu Kok Liong.
She and her younger brother enjoyed bian nik at 5 cents per bowl because they did not like to eat rice and vegetables. They liked the meat and the skins of the bian nik. Her little brother, being the only grandson of the family had special treats and she was lucky to be included.
It was also quite easy because in those days, there were boys from poor families, as young as 10 years old who would do food delivery.
She said that these boys came from poor families and they had no where to go. Practically homeless they lived in the coffee shops, also to act as security guards at night.
The busiest roads in Sibu in those days were Market Road and Channel Road.
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