The Plantation - Di Morrissey [177]
‘Tony’s in KL on business. He’ll be back as soon as he can,’ Bette told them.
‘We’ve heard how well the Chinese vote has gone in Selangor! The state could be run by the Chinese!’ they told Bette.
But Bette’s elation at the election results were quickly replaced by apprehension when Tony’s elder son, James, told her that violence had broken out in Kuala Lumpur.
‘What has happened, James?’ asked Bette.
‘It seems that some Indians and Chinese started celebrating the election results on Sunday afternoon by parading through the streets in a Malay area. They carried brooms, apparently, to symbolise the sweeping out of the Malays.’
‘That was a silly thing to do,’ said Bette.
‘And dangerous. I have heard that the Malays began attacking both the Chinese and the Indians. Apparently this violence is spreading around the city.’
Bette was immediately alarmed. ‘Do you know where Tony is? I hope he is safe in his hotel.’
‘I’m trying to find out. I’ve been talking to friends in KL and they have told me that there are rumours going around that this violence wasn’t spontaneous. Some young Malays, many from out of town, are armed with knives, spears and parangs, and they are out looking for Chinese, to teach them a lesson, they say. And what’s more, there are plans to hold a political procession. Talk about provocative! And even though the police have vetoed such a foolhardy plan, the chief minister has said that he will give the okay for it to go ahead. I’m sure Father will lie low in his hotel until this all blows over and sanity prevails.’
Bette paced through Rose Mansion, waiting to hear news of Tony.
What she did hear caused her much disquiet. The political procession had turned into a riot. Cars and buildings were being burned and the Malay police were firing indiscriminately into Chinese shophouses. The Chinese were being attacked all over the city, although, as she found out later, many were hidden by their friends. Their homes were being ransacked and burned and many were brutally murdered. The city had descended into chaos.
*
Wednesday morning, the fourteenth, came and Bette lay in her canopied bed feeling as though her legs and body were made of lead. She heard the jangle of the bell at the gate and willed herself out of the bed. Calmly, she smoothed her hair, wrapped her silk flowered robe around herself, put her feet in her beaded slippers and began to walk downstairs slowly. One step after another. She could hear, as if from far away, hurrying servants, voices calling and a motor vehicle in the driveway.
It was Madam Chang’s long shrill shriek, ‘Aaaeeeie,’ that jolted Bette and she broke into a run to the front foyer. She saw a police inspector standing at the door talking to James. His face told her what she already knew in her heart.
According to the police inspector, Tony had been shot by a passing band of youths as he was getting into his car to drive back home to her. The police officer told her that the army had now moved into Kuala Lumpur, and a state of emergency and a curfew would soon be declared. But it would all come too late for Tony. Bette listened, eyes closed, her face white, hands clenched.
‘Where is my husband?’
‘At the hospital, Mrs Tsang.’
‘Please arrange to bring him home.’ She cast an anguished look at James, who nodded. He would be the one to bring his father home because he was now the eldest male in the family.
There was silence in the bright room as Bette finished speaking. Julie and Caroline glanced at each other hoping the other would speak first.
Julie said, ‘Thank you for telling us what happened, Bette. It was such a tragedy. You obviously loved each other so much.’
Bette turned to her great niece, her eyes misty. ‘I still do. I feel him beside me every day of my life.’ She straightened and smiled. ‘So that’s my story. Naturally my life didn’t end after Tony was killed, though it felt like it at the time. I remained at Rose Mansion helping the children and after Madam Chang died I kept the house running.’