"During the Japanese Occupation, there were rumours that 12 to 13 year old boys were being sent to the Japanese army. I was lucky to be able to get a job with the mayor who ruled Singapore during the war. I was called the office boy and I opened the mayor's car door and carried his bag. I also put his stamp on approved documents. He treated me like a grandson. The cruelty and violence is only one side of the story, it was after all war."

...the bakery near my place opened. And of course there was a long queue, you have to rush and get your stuff. ...And then they started issuing cards - 'teng kee'. ...the cards for supplying food. ...That's the way you did it in that way. And of course you could go to the market.

...'teng kee'. ...what identity card, card that entitles you to get provisions. ...And you had to bring your card along with you and depending on the number of people in the family, you get that quantity, ration, and that's ration you get.

...Oh, very expensive. Black market was rampant here. If you want to buy anything in the black market where you pay out money...

...there was food control, price control, so nothing went up. ... Actually they used to sell it cheaper. Never went up. Not a cent higher or half a cent. As I told you, those days, with a cent, you can buy four things. Four articles of cookery, for the kitchen they could buy. Never went up. Down always, depended upon supply.


But actually, I remember, this sprouts, bean sprouts, it was one cent a kati. And sometimes they used to sell it a half a cent a kati outside the market. ...Same with food, mutton. ...If you went to the market after five o'clock, you can get cheaper foods, where perishable are concerned, like meat and all some things you get at lower price. Vegetables and meat all, anything perishable. ...In the British time, there was no black market.