XII - THE LAST TEN DAYS: 2 TO 12 DECEMBER 1950

Summary

From the afternoon of Saturday, 2 December until she left Singapore and her Malay life forever, Maria lived at the Convent of the Good Shepherd. She was cut off from Che Aminah, from Mansoor Adabi whom she had for four months believed to be her husband and from all her Malay friends. She saw only her mother, Adeline Hertogh, the nuns and other girls at the Convent, and a stream of newspaper reporters.

The reason for the delay in carrying out Mr. Justice Brown's order restoring her to her parents was that Che Aminah and Mansoor Adabi had appealed against the judgement; and they applied for a stay of execution pending the hearing of the appeal. Maria was required to remain within the jurisdiction of Singapore courts until a decision was reached on this application. It was considered in the High Court presided over by the Chief Justice on the 11 December and formally dismissed on the following day.

Earlier, there had been rejoicing in the Muslim community when the Appeal Court in July quashed the orders made on the first custody application of the Netherlands Consul-General. This was regarded by Muslims as a just victory, amply vindicating Che Aminah's claims. When Maria married Mansoor Adabi a few days later, Muslims were positive that the marriage was in order.

The challenge to the marriage was resented by Muslims but they awaited the outcome of renewed court proceedings with some confidence. The shock was all the sharper when the Judge declared the marriage invalid. The legal reasons for the decision were not comprehended. Muslims felt strongly that it violated the Islamic law of marriage.

After the intense public interest in the case over many months, injudicious publicity in both English and Malay newspapers now fanned protest into flames that were to destroy lives – not only the life to which Maria had been bred.

At this stage, the so-called Nadra Action Committee, formally constituted on 9 December, took the floor and sought the limelight.