Miaw Sing : The Japanese Occupation Resistant Fighters and Warrior from Sipitang

SEJARAH NORTH BORNEO SABAH  Special Edition :

North Borneo World War Two Series

Miaw Sing : The Japanese Occupation Resistant Fighters and Warrior from Sipitang

Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Mohamad Yassin Bin Haji Hashim, a Brunei Malay of high status and aristocratic bearing was born in Sipitang in 1916 and received his education at a Roman Catholic Missionary School.

He was appointed a District Chief in 1938 with the title Orang Kaya Kaya (OKK) where he developed his administrative experience .

As a District Chief made him a natural leader in his district and probably contributed to his success in mustering support from the local population to take up arms against the Japanese Army.

In 1943, Mohamad Yassin even before the arrival of the SRD already led an indigenous guerrilla movement in Sipitang Brunei Bay area of a mix Brunei Malay, Chinese, Murut and Dusun of which an organised armed resistance that harassed the Japanese Army.

Mohamad Yassin led fighters later emerged as a vital guerilla forces in the southeast area after the failure of the 1943 "Jesselton Uprising" and had played an important role in providing assistance to the returning allied forces.

In late 1944, Mohamad Yassin and his combat unit (AGAS Ops) started through the initiatives, encouragement and cooperation of the Allied officers who were part of the Services Reconnaissance Detachment (SRD), a branch of the Special Operation Executive (SOE) in Australia .

The effort was part of the wider allied war plan to prepare for a reoccupation of Sabah. His unit later became part of the Allied setup and fought distinguishably against the retreating Japanese army.

Apart from gathering of intelligence, the SRD was also involved in mobilising friendly locals to form guerrilla forces to harass the Japanese Army.

In 1945, Major Tom Harrison managed to link up with Mohamad Yassin Guerilla unit in Sipitang, a small town on the southeast coast of North Borneo. During the operation the European officers mispronounced his name from Mohamad Yassin to "Miaw Sing" and also mistakenly thought the he was a Chinese Guerilla Chief of Sipitang.

At the time, Tom Harrison was operating under the auspices of the "Z Force". Harrison and his assistant, Warrant Officer Colin Mac Pherson, met Mohamad Yassin when they went to survey the area around Sipitang and Brunei Bay to prepare the landing by Allied Forces.

The main Japanese force of the 37th Army under General Masao Baba started to moved to the interior making Sipitang as an active operation area. With all this development, Mohamad Yassin area of operation became a vital part of the Allied forces strategic planning.

Tom Harrison had a very good impression of Mohamad Yassin who was known to him as Miaw Sing and recalls, "In the shadows sat a man, pale skinned and large eyed, unaffected by our effusive entry". MacPhearson only known him as a local leaders. Mac Pearson said "we spent a relaxed one hour with this excellent man, who I thought was Chinese who spoke fluent Malay and Mohamad Yassin was as good as his word "

.

Mohamad Yassin joined forces with Tom Harrison and harassed the Japanese Army in the Area. According to Harrison, he did not know that Miaw Sing was Mohamad Yassin actually a Malay until much later. Tom Harrison said " I ought to have known that from his composure, squatting at ease in the shadow of an abandoned hamlet".

Mohamad Yassin continued to work with MacPhearson to rid the Sipitang - Weston area of Japanese forces. His unit was also involved in harassing the retreating Japanese Army.

Tom Harrison said, "I understood our gallant and shadowy friend to be called Miaw Sing, a good Chinese name. After the war I included him in a long list of citation which were accepted. Anyway, he got the MBE twice, for his coolness. " He was twice recommended The Most Excellent of the British Empire once under Miaw Sing and second time under Mohamad Yassin.

In recognising his immense contribution to the Allied forces cause in fighting the Japanese Army, Mohamad Yassin was recommended for honors. He was later awarded the The Most Excellent of the British Empire (MBE) and was part of the North Borneo contingent to London for the Victory Parade in 8th June 1946.

Mohamad Yassin forged a good friendship with Datu Mustapha and were together during the London trip.

Mohamad Yassin distinguished contributions and leadership qualities during World War Two were given due recognition that went beyond medals and honors as he was given the honour for North Borneo Post war reconstruction efforts. He was made an Assistant District Officer and later a member of the State Advisory Committee and was subsequently appointed a member of the State Legislative Council.

Mohamad Yassin attended the Commonwealth parliamentary course in the United Kingdom and upon his return he was appointed various positions of responsibility, including District Officer of Tenom and later became a politician and a Sabah Cabinet Minister as Minister of Coordination during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Source :

1. World War Two : The Sabah's Story published by Sabah State Archives

2. Historical Sabah : The War by Professor Danny Wong

3. World Within A Borneo Story by Tom Harrison

4. One Crowded Moment of Glory The Kinabalu Guerillas and The 1943 Jesselton Uprising by Professor Danny Wong

Edited by : Kumis Kumis