DEATH RAILWAY: FIGHTING SPIRIT OF K. ARUMUGAM SEEN INSPIRATIONAL

PORT DICKSON, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- K. Arumugam, the oldest survivor of the infamous ‘Death Railway’, a forced labour project between Siam (Thailand) and Burma (Myanmar) during World War Two, who died last week at the age of 97 possessed an extraordinary fighting spirit and resilience that that should serve as an inspiration to society.

At the age of 15, Arumugam took a brave decision to work on the railway as he had wanted to find his older brother, and had to endure much hardship under the Japanese Imperial Army.

His youngest son, A. Suthagar, 45, said Arumugam had once shared his hope of bringing his brother back to the family, but it was unfulfilled as he was informed that he had passed away.

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"My father, the second of five siblings, told me that his purpose of joining was to find his beloved brother; he was determined to save his brother but fate was not on his side,” he told Bernama today.

"I would describe my father as a strong and wise man because during his three years of forced labour, he managed to master the Japanese language and was appointed as an interpreter because he could communicate in English, Tamil and Malay."

Suthagar said the advantage of mastering various languages such as Japanese, allowed his father to rescue many forced labour victims of various ethnicities, including Indians, Chinese and Malays, and bring them back to their homeland.

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He said after World War Two ended, his father returned home and worked as a clerk in a rubber estate called Tampin Linggi Estate and later become active in politics, joining MIC.

The late Arumugam, who left behind 13 children, 37 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, died of old age at a private hospital on Saturday.

Although sadden by their loss, the family is grateful to their late-parents for raising them well, leading them all to succeed in their respective careers, including becoming teachers, military personnel, police officers and architects.

“Father was very particular about studies, resulting in some of his grandchildren becoming professionals. My 18-year-old son will soon pursue studies abroad,” he said.

"My son, a student at PERMATApintar Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), was one of the closest grandchildren to my late-father, and also learned Japanese from his grandfather," he said.

Suthagar said that throughout his father's life, Arumugam's memory remained strong even though he was nearly 100 years old, and was often invited to give lectures to students at several schools in Negeri Sembilan.

Suthagar also said his father was disciplined with in his diet, and did not suffer from any diseases.

"My father did not consume alcohol, but drank plenty of water and avoided overeating. He did not consume fast food and limited his sugary drinks. He loved to read, which is probably why his memory was good even at close to 100," he said.

-- BERNAMA