MELAKA STORIES | MENCECEH
Gangs of Melaka
Taiko
“Taiko”, aged 56 (Pseudonym)
Conversation on
2 November 2018
on Jalan Bunga Raya
Malay version of this story- please scroll down
It happened everywhere. As long as you got Chinamen, you got all these – I don’t use the word “bad hats” ah! -underground members. Very often you see just like movie, gang fights, territory fighting, that’s quite normal.
Nearby ACS [Anglo-Chinese School], that territory known as the “Five Colour Flags” gang. Then, Limbongan Pokok Mangga? Not mistaken, in Hokkien they say “It Tiam Ang”, direct translation “One Red Dot”. Further down to the southern Tengkera one famous landmark we called the Oriental Theatre, it’s also controlled by It Tiam Ang gang.
Easily, I would say right, centre, middle of the city seven to eight gangs. Normally the main commercial shopping areas. The Old Market area [the Municipal Market) – Jalan Kee Ann, the big wet market- used to be controlled by one group called “Loh Kuan”.
The Wet Market area (right), controlled by Loh Kuan Photo courtesy of Dr J Widodo
Then across the road, Jalan Bunga Raya Pantai, we had three of four famous theatres, Federal Theatre, the Rex Theatre, Sun Theatre. And they used to have another amusement theme park, City Park. Those areas are controlled by the Gang of Eighteen. We used to call “Chap Puek Kia”. Eighteen area.
Remnants of Sun Theatre in City Park, Bunga Raya Pantei, 2005 Photo courtesy of Dr J Widodo
Then further down to the Pengkalan Rama area, the main road is controlled by “Tiong Ee Tong”. Go down the Pengkalan Rama area, there’s another gang called “Ang Ho”.
Capitol Theatre – now abandoned – was controlled by the Five Colour Flags. And there’s a famous spot where people love to commit suicide, we call it the “Nine Storey Flats”, also situated along Jalan Bendahara, it’s also controlled by the Five Colour Flags.
Nine Storey Flats at Jalan Bendahara was also controlled by Five Coloured Flags
Next to it we used to have a theatre called the Savoy – presently, it’s Ibis Hotel – also controlled by the Five Colour Flags. The commercial locality, the prominent shopping areas, theatre, amusement is being controlled by the Five Colour Flags and the gang of Eighteen. Same goes to the Bukit Cina area. Jalan Bendahara is another Five Colour branch. We are affiliated, we got many divisions. Banda Kaba is one of the branches.
At the end of the day, it’s the bad influence. If you mix with the good one, you tend to excel in economics and sports. If you are a rotten one, and you want some achievement you go with the bad influence, you will like to highlight yourselves, so you want to be a rascal or whatever? The split second decisions that you make will lead you to your future.
We have to go through the swearing ceremony. There’s rules and regulations. Those days they are strict. In fact, they are also teaching people good things. Do not rob, do not rape. Do respect the elderly.
To enter the ceremony, you shared the Brotherhood blood. Nowadays, you don’t. Same blood, same brotherhood. We care we share. When we have difficulties, we shoulder together. We have fun times, we share it together.
Those days the different tattoo designs are a representation of your status in the hierarchy. Whether you are rank and file, whether you are the chief, a senior one, a senior two, senior three, whether you are a tiger general…They do have their hierarchies, monarchy. And they go on protocol. The symbolic ones, like pictures of dragons, tigers, eagles…got a meaning behind it.
Gang Diploma Source: Mysteries of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya - Leon Comber
Usually they have a hand signal, body language identifications. So, those days when you are at certain levels, when you shake hands with someone, you will touch each other’s finger. Exchanging with a signal. Then you know who you are. Whether you are from which gang.
Underground gangsterism goes with commerce. Everything needs money. So, they can have their own cineplex, their own car wash. They can have their own spa. They can have their own hotel. Whatever you name it, they can deal with it. Indirectly, they create jobs amongst their members. So it’s a commercial world that these people are looking forward to. Advancing themselves.
You don’t use parangs and axes to run around the roads anymore. Those days, how do you call the members? You have to call their home… What happened when those people’s houses have no phones? By the time they come to help you they collect your body already. Nowadays, it’s so easy. Facetime: “Look! I got chopped here and there!” So, it’s all technology.
“Taiko”, umur 56 tahun (nama samaran)
Perbualan pada
2 November 2018
di Jalan Bunga Raya
Di mana-mana pun mahu bergaduh. Asalkan ada orang Cina, boleh nampaklah – aku tak nak panggil mereka lahabau, ah! – semua geng bawah tanah ini. Sama macam dalam filem, bergaduh, berebut kawasan, benda bisalah.
Dekat itu Sekolah ACS ….ada kawasan “Geng Bendera Lima Warna”. Kemudian, Limbongan Pokok Mangga? Kalau tak salah aku, dalam bahasa Hokkien mereka panggil “It Tiam Ang,” atau “Satu Titik Merah” kalau mahu terjemah langsung. Dan dekat sebelah selatan Tengkera sana ada satu kawasan terkenal kami panggil Panggung Oriental , ini juga kawasan Geng It Thiam Ang.
Setahu aku ada tujuh ke lapan geng di tengah-tengah bandar. Selalunya di kawasan orang shopping lah. Dekat itu Pasar Lama – Jalan Kee Ann, ada pasar basah yang pernah dikawal oleh kumpulan “Loh Kuan”.
Lepas itu di seberang jalan, Jalan Bunga Raya Pantei, ada tiga empat pawagam yang famous, Panggung Federal, Panggung Rex, dan Pawagam Sun. Ada juga satu pusat hiburan nama City Park. Kawasan-kawasan ini dikawal oleh Geng Lapan Belas. Kami panggil “Chap Puek Kia”. Kawasan lapan belas.
Federal Theatre (kiri), Bunga Raya Pantei, 2010 Foto Kredit: Dr J Widodo
Turun pula ke kawasan Pengkalan Rama, akan jumpa jalan utama yang dikawal oleh “Tiong Ee Tong”. Kalau pergi lagi bawah dari Pengkalan Rama ada Geng “Ang Ho.”
Kampung Pengkalan Rama (2020)
Panggung Capitol – sekarang sudah kosong – dikawal oleh Geng Bendera Lima Warna. Dan ada satu itu tempat orang suka bunuh diri, kami panggil Rumah Pangsapuri Sembilan Tingkat, dekat Jalan Bendahara sana.
Tidak jauh dari situ pernah ada Panggung Savoy, sekarang Hotel Ibis. Kedua-dua tempat ini juga dikawal oleh Geng Bendera Lima Warna. Kawasan perniagaan runcit, pusat membeli-belah, pawagam, dan pusat hiburan kini dikawal oleh oleh Geng Bendera Lima Warna dan Geng Lapan Belas. Begitu juga di kawasan Bukit Cina. Jalan Bendahara pula adalah satu lagi cawangan Geng Bendera Lima Warna. Kami bekerja sama, kami ada banyak rangkaian. Banda Kaba adalah salah satu daripada cawangannya.
Apa-apa pun kena tengoklah siapa yang bagi pengaruh buruk. Jika kamu bergaul dengan orang baik-baik, kamu boleh berjayalah dalam ekonomi dan sukan. Jika kamu jenis orang tidak guna dan kamu mahu jadi taiko, kamu akan angkat diri lah, kamu akan jadi penyangak atau penipu dan apa-apa saja. Pilihan yang sekejap sahaja boleh menentukan kamu jadi apa nanti.
Kami perlu buat upacara mengangkat sumpah. Ada undang-undang dan peraturan. Dulu lagi tegas. Ia juga aja tentang kebaikan. Jangan merompak. Jangan merogol. Hormati mereka yang lebih tua.
Susunan di Mezbah bagi Triad untuk Upacara Kemasukaan Geng Punca: Mysteries of Chinese Secret Societies in Malaya - Leon Comber
Nak menyertai upacara ini kamu perlu berkongsi darah bersaudara. Tapi sekarang tidak perlu lagi. Darah sama, saudara sama. Kami sama-sama jaga dan kongsi. Bila susah kami tanggung sama-sama, senang pun sama-sama.
Dulu lukisan tatu yang berbeza akan menggambarkan status kamu. Sama ada kamu berpangkat atau tidak, atau ikut susunan pangkat, kamu ketua, atau pegawai kanan satu, atau pegawai kanan dua, atau pegawai kanan tiga, atau kamu seorang jeneral harimau… Ada sistem pangkat, macam raja-raja lah. Dan mereka ada protokol sendiri juga. Simbol seperti naga, harimau, helang…. pun ada maksudnya.
Biasanya mereka ada tanda isyarat tangan, pengenalan melalui bahasa badan. Dulu bila kamu sudah dah jadi seseorang, kamu akan sentuh jari bila bersalaman. Masing-masing akan bagi isyarat lah. Masa itu boleh tahulah orang ini siapa, dia datang dari geng yang mana satu.
Kerja gangster dan bisnes tidak boleh dipisahkan. Semuanya perlukan wang. Mereka ada panggung wayang mereka sendiri, tempat basuh kereta mereka sendiri. Mereka juga ada spa mereka sendiri. Hotel mereka sendiri. Cakap sahaja mesti mereka boleh buat. Ahli-ahli pun boleh cari kerja dekat sana. Semuanya mahu buat bisnes saja. Mereka mahu hidup jadi lebih baik.
Sekarang tidak payah lagi pakai parang dan kapak untuk jadi raja. Dulu kalau nak cari member macam mana? Kena telefon ke rumah masing-masing lah. Apa jadi kalau member tak ada telefon? Baru nak datang rumah tolong, sudah kena angkat mayat. Sekarang senang saja. Pakai Facetime: “Tengok! Aku kena tetak!” Semuanya teknologi.