The Early Malay Doctors: The Historical Japanese Finds at Palekbang

Monday 31 December 2012

The Historical Japanese Finds at Palekbang

After we found the remains of the old Palekbang train stop, we ventured to another nearby place near the train bridge. There was a vehicle parked close to a shed just before the bridge. A muddy road formed an underpass for the train bridge. We stopped by the parked vehicle and didn't go onto the muddy track as it would mean a different adventure altogether and we weren't in the right gear for muddy track adventure in the monsoon rain.

Affandi got down to talk to the people at the shed. He discussed for some time while I remained in the car and took photos in heavy rain. Then Affandi emerged and a guy with helmet followed him. They were talking and another man appeared from the underpass, approaching Affandi and the other man. Affandi knew the man who came on the motorcycle (bike). He was the son of Affandi's father's friend who lived in our neighbourhood. The man on the bike greeted Affandi and Affandi asked him whether he worked there on the project.

The project is a historical one, so says the banner at the underpass, just next to a massive brick structure from bygone era. Then the 2 men drove away on the bike through the underpass and to the other side of the train bridge. Affandi then entered the car. I asked him what happened. I asked him whom he talked to. He said the one on the bike who came to pick up the other man, was his friend and they knew each other. The man worked on the project. I asked Affandi "What project?" Affandi said there is an on-going project and pointed to the banner at the underpass. Affandi said right in front of us, the big round brick structure was a Japanese well, left over from the war. He said the Japanese were known to throw humans down this well. I was nauseated when I heard this. I asked him whether these people he talked to knew about the recent discovery of the train tunnel. Affandi said yes. The newly discovered train tunnel is a historical find of the last war. I asked him if we could go and visit that train tunnel. Affandi said it may not be safe in the heavy rain. So we decided to head back to Kota Bharu and stopped over for early lunch at TESCO Kota Bharu. Affandi had laksa Penang and I had nasi goreng kampung (a bit salty). We shared a small cup of hot Milo.