During the Battle of Malaya, KMM was one of many organisations that aided the Japanese as they believed that Japanese would give Malaya independence. The KMM actively assisted the Japanese through fifth column activities. This pro-Japanese anti-British tendency made KMM very close to the Japanese force. All of KMM members that were imprisoned by the British earlier were released by the Japanese during the occupation. In January 1942, KMM requested the Japanese to grant Malaya the independence the Japanese had promised earlier. This was the first request for Malayan independence by a Malaya-wide political body. The request was turned down. Furthermore, the Japanese authorities were aware that KMM had links with the Malayan Communist Party and the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army. These led to the disbandment of KMM and establishment the Malayan branch of Pembela Tanah Air (also known as the "Malai Giyu Gun" or by its Malay acronym PETA) militia in its stead with Ibrahim Yaacob made the commander-in-chief with lieutenant-colonel rank. Despite the forced dissolution of KMM, Japan did not arrest its members because they needed to establish rapport with the Malays, which KMM members had provided.