Major events of this
period
Sivadas s/o Sankaran, 82, is a retiree. He was a journalist with The Straits Times from 1947 to 1951. He became a sub-editor with the same paper after that and stayed with ST till 1971.
I joined this political party called the Malayan Democratic Union.
But I didn't know the background of the people behind this organisation. What I did not realise was that the majority of the people behind this organisation were Communists. I joined the party only because many Indians were politically conscious, and they wanted to take part in creating a movement and so on. I was like that.
I think the secretary, the chairman or president, and vice-president were Communists too.
Every evening, I used to go to the organisation's library, chat with the other members, and do some voluntary work for the party. Also, they started this co-operative store. They used to get supplies from the government. Some Communists were with the British troops who came here in 1945. Some held high positions in the British Military Administration. So they used to get supplies to sell things at the co-operative store.
Later, the government suspected that they were transferring money from the stores to the Communist organisation. In the end, the organisation was voluntarily liquidated. The store was not in financial difficulties. Because the government suspected it was helping the Communists, it was closed down.
After this, I did not join any political party.
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