The Little Entertainer

When Japanese took over Ipoh, all schools were reopened and had to carry on studying with more emphasis in "Japanese Language,less emphasis in English and Malay Languages and of course no English Language to be taught. 

I carried on attending school and of course we had to start studying the Japanese Language and  Japanese songs. The Japanese gave a piano to the school. I love singing and without any difficulty I managed to by heart a few Japanese songs.Every morning we have to sing Japanese National  anthem  plus some good Japanese songs so much so I was chosen to sing Japanese songs at various occasions organised by the Japanese Govt.  Ipoh was full of Japanese soldiers attached to various Japanese Military Units. It so happened almost every week-end some sort of entertainment was prepared to entertain the Japanese Soldiers. They used Cinema Halls for the entertainment. I was chosen to be one of the singers.

I was one of those who was chosen to sing Japanese songs. I was a small boy then and I found it difficult to sing. They had to put a box for me stand on it in order my voice to reach the microphone correctly. The first night I sang I was very nervous, but I tried to control myself with the help of my teacher somehow or rather I managed to sing well and surprisingly my singing was very much appreciated by the army. As soon as I finished my first song to my surprise I received the loudest clapping of hands and as soon as the performance was over a few of the soldiers came to me and carried me to be with them.  I was very nervous and frightened especially when they carried me up, however, they treated me well - Somehow, at the age of eight, I had become their little entertainer!