during the japanese occupation, europeans and eurasian singaporeans were generally spared the harsher treatments by the japanese than other racial groups; however many of them became an increasing nuisance for their activist efforts, in particular the catholic societies, who fostered strong community bonds with the local chinese. from december 1943 to april 1944, a combination of a collapsing currency, rising food and continued social activism culminated in the reactionary and punitive land acquisition strategy which relocated about 400 roman catholic chinese and 300 european/eurasian families (of which most were land-owners and many chinese households also ran small businesses or shop-keeps from their homes) that forcibly acquired land and fixed property from homeowners in exchange for an equal area of dry land two miles from the town of bahau in negeri sembilan state in malaya. propagandised in the ironic manner of sending them off to live happier, better lives as a purely catholic community where they could run their own affairs despite the reality that it was meant as a punishment. the responsibility for administering the affairs of the settlement was mockingly bestowed to prominent activist for chinese welfare under occupation roman catholic bishop, monseigneur adrian devals. on his own accord, dr c. j. p. paglar, president of the eurasian welfare association visited the settlement frequently to bring much needed medical and other supplies as well as give the populace moral strength. although many of the settlers were educated through missionary schools, and many of the landowners had practised limited subsistence farming on their properties in singapore, the soil at the bahau settlement was intentionally apportioned by the japanese as it consisted of non-arable land where there was insufficient water for irrigation. while the japanese kept to their policy of restraint against the europeans and catholics (mindful of their german and italian allies), the measure was deliberately intended to result in hardship for the settlers. the entire process which resulted in the deaths of about 500 settlers was extensively concealed under propaganda which sought to portray the departure of catholic families from singapore as a willing venture. as many who were relocated were generally of higher social and economic status, the propaganda which depicted better lives, created a resentment in the local populace and misplaced sense of betrayal against those that had initially defended them against the japanese. the perverse nature of the japanese propaganda was highly effective and would have lasting ramifications of distrust between the local races and their former colonial protectors. many suffered from malnutrition, as their subsistence farming attempts could not provide self-sufficiency. in addition, they were plagued by malaria and other diseases. an estimated 500 settlers lost their lives, including bishop devals who helped many others to survive the ordeal. after the japanese surrendered to the british in august 1945, the survivors were allowed to return to singapore however were not compensated for their land or property.