Man looking for information about his grandfather who was executed during the Japanese Occupation

Stomper Zaini is on a journey into his past and wishes to find out more about his grandfather who was executed during the Japanese Occupation in World War II.

He knows that his surname is Chan as his father's Chinese name was Chang Ngan Siew.

From what he has gathered, he understands that his grandfather owned a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic at Chinatown before he was rounded up at executed as part of the infamous Sook Ching operation carried out by the Japanese military.

"The Japanese soldiers were tracking down those who were sending money back to China and I believe that my grandfather was caught for doing that," Zaini told Stomp in a phone interview.

"My grandfather was transported to Keppel Harbour where he was shot.

"He was actually captured together with my father who managed to escape.

"He found my grandmother and the two of them were rescued by a Malay police officer named Bujang."

Zaini said that his father and grandmother stayed hidden in the Malay community and that his grandmother eventually married Bujang and converted to Islam in the process.

However, Zaini's father was very secretive about his family's history due to the trauma he had gone through and the "fear of getting caught".

"I have been trying to discover my roots in the absence of my parents but it has been very tough," said Zaini, whose father passed away in 1985.

"I was told that my grandfather's dialect group is 'Khek'."

Zaini shared photos of his grandfather with a group of friends taken at Haw Par Villa and is hoping that somebody out there might have the same photos or recognises the other men.

He also included a portrait photo of his grandfather where he is wearing a medal on his chest.

"I believe that it is a medal from Huadong that was awarded for heroism," he said.

"I am really interested to know my roots so that I can pass down the understanding to my children and our next generations."

If you have any information regarding the men in the photos, kindly email Stomp at stomp@stomp.com.sg or WhatsApp 9384 3761.