COMMUNISM IN MALAYA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 29, 14 November 1949, Page 5

COMMUNISM IN MALAYA

* STILL A FORCE

VIEWS OF EXPERTS (By Lionel Hudson.—N.Z.P.A.-Beuter Correspondent). SINGAPORE. An expert summed up both the political and military situation in Malaya this week when he said that the best chance of the emergency ending on the Peninsula “is that the Communist terrorists will run out of bullets.” . 1

It is the general view of competent observers here that the powerful political element with the guerillas in Malaya will attempt to keep the revolt going as long as the Communists hold sway over East Asia. “That’s why I pin my hopes in empty gun magazines,” said one authdrity. Some of the* exasperated security force leaders at present engaged in an all-out offensive against the terrorist strength in mid-Malaya say. that the “elusive Pimpernel” war in the dense jungle could last for years yet as long as the guerillas retain their political in-centive—-and their bullets last.

In Malaya there are about 14,000 British and Malay troops and 73,000 police hunting between 3000 to 5000 terrorists belonging to organised gangs, according to official figures. But numbers are no criterion in this incredible war in which a group of guerilas using the jungle expertly can defy a battalion of troops equipped with artillery, armoured cars, flamethrowers, and with strong air support. Supporting the Communists is the “People’s .Army” which consists of tens of thousands of 'food suppliers, agents, Collectors of “contributions” to the Party and couriers. Unfortunately, many of these people are found in the remote areas where they have no protection and little option as to whether they aid the terrorists or not. Security forces are arresting the voluntary helpers at the rate of more than 1000 a month. Intelligence sources 4 estimate that some of the gangs number several hundred welltrained guerillas, but mostly they hunt in small parties keeping the reign of terror going with occasional ambushes, murders and robbei’ies. The tiulk of the Communists are believed to be under instructions to lay low until fresh orders arrive. They attempt to keep clear of the security forces while they re-group, train and indoctrinate the new recruits with the Marxist-Leninist ideology.

/The hopes the terrorists’ ammunition will run out is not mere wishful thinking. Security officers are confident that no arms or ammunition is being smuggled • into the Communist forces. They have to rely on the considerable supplies dropped in to the Malayan people’s anti-Japanese army during the war and those left behind by the Japanese themselves. Police and ti’oops have seized large dumps of guns and bullets and there is general belief that the guerillas may he running short.

Conserving Ammunition

In recent jungle clashes security forces have noticed that many of the guerillas were obviously conserving their ammunition. Surrendered terrorists (the trickle has become a little stronger in the last few months) have told authorities that fresh recruits under training get any amount of rifle drill, but are allowed to fire only one or two shots “to see how it feels.”

Recently an arms • dump containing 30 Japanese machine guns in perfect condition was unearthed by a police and military party in Pahang. The theory is that the local terrorists had not been able to utilise the guns because they lacked ammunition. However, authorities say that the Communists are showing no signs of running short of political gunpowder. The flow- of party propaganda material from the jungle printing has not decreased despite the fact the security forces are keeping the* gangs moving and pushing them into more remote regions. Although there is no hard evidence that the Malayan Communist Party has any direct contact with the Chinese Communist Party officials admit that it is still possible. They say that couriers could easily get across the Thailand border and join forces with the China Communist representatives in Bangkok. A number of senior members of the Malayan Communist Party who are known to be in Peiping have recently made broadcasts in sympathy with the “workers of Malaya.”

The “Malayan People’s Anti-British Army” is thought to be mostly comprised of China-born Chinese with a sprinkling of Malays, Indian, and fugitive Japanese, but. there is ho evidence that any members of the Chinese Communist Party have come south to bolster the ranks in Malaya. Indeed, intelligence reports have been received that some members of the gangs are anxious to return to China and. join up with the victors there. This inclination has been forcibly vetoed by the loyal leaders. v

Without Support

Observers agree that the terrorist movement in Malaya at present is without general public support. They point out that any sympathy the.* local population had for the Communistdominated Malayan Peoples Anti-Jap-anese Army has been destroyed by the terror tactics against non-combatants, but in a country where 2,750,000 of the 5,950,000 population are Chinese the powerful draw of Chinese Nationalism is a vitaj, consideration, observers emphasise. The Communist victories in China have had less.effect on the Chinese in Malaya than the Government expect--cd, they say, but there may be a change of heart if, as a result of Britain’s recognition of China, the Chinese Communist Party manages to link up with the Malayan Communist. Party Well-informed sources here scotch the suggestion that the Terrorist Movement in Malaya is essentially ‘“Nationalist,” with the retort: “Why aren’t the Malays in it?” One senior police officer said that .it was the support from the Malay community that has saved the country. “Every move the terrorists make reeks of Communism,”’ he said. “Their activities are in similar pattern to those of other Communist parties in other parts of Asia. “True to customary party strategy the rank and file members do not know their own leaders.” The Communist campaign in Malaya is believed to be run by an executive committee of the Malayan Communist

Party, but there is strong evidence that one or two dominate the movement. Few of the guerillas fighting in the jungle know their ' leaders, according to surrendered bandits, but. it is understood that Malayan security force intelligence has a fairly good idea.