TERRORISM IN MALAYA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25551, 20 July 1948, Page 5

TERRORISM IN MALAYA

INSURGENTS ATTACK POLICE STATION

REPORTED CAPTURE OF CONSTABLES (N.Z.P.A.-—Reuter— -Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) SINGAPORE, July 19. A force of 100 Chinese insurgents on Saturday morning attacked the Guamusang police station, 120 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, in Kelantan State, according to a report by the Malayan police authorities. Another report gives the number of insurgents as 300, and says that after a grim battle the terrorists captured a police inspector and .14’ constables. One constable was shot dead. Another made an 80-mile journey to report the attack. The terrorists also attacked two neighbouring estates and seized a small quantity of firearms and a truck. The Guamusang police are reported to have resisted until their ammunition ran out. . . Terrorists yesterday killed a British Army officer, who earlier was reported wounded in a clash at Bidor, 40 miles south of Ipoh. He was an officer of a Gurkha regiment and he was the first British casualty in the operations against the terrorists. Gurkhas near Bidor surprised a camp of between 20 and 30 guerrillas and shot one dead before the guerrillas scattered. The terrorist fire hit and killed the officer while the troops were pursuing the terrorists. At Kajang, Gurkhas in a nine-hour sweep recovered the body of the lance-corporal killed the previous day. They arrested two suspects who were carrying important Communist documents, but they did not meet the terrorist armed forces. Fifty-five persons have been killed by terrorists since July 1, according to the “Straits Times.” In Singapore the police are throwing “aprons” of barbed wire round all police stations as a precaution against attacks. It is feared that terrorism might spread to Singapore at any time, although it is not expected until next month after the proclamation of the Soviet Republic of Malaya by the Communists.

SMALL ARMS FOR MALAYA EXPORT AUTHORISED BY AUSTRALIA CANBERRA, July 19. The Australian Customs Department has authorised the export to Malaya of a small consignment of revolvers and ammunition for the personal protection of individuals against terrorists. The department issued the export licences after a thorough investigation of the orders. Many employees of Malayan tin mining companies are Australians. The office of the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom would make no comment on a report that the former High Commissioner in Malaya (Sir Edward Gent) had recently asked the Australian Government for arms and equipment and that the Prime Minister (Mr Chifley) refused because he feared that the watersiders would ban shipping to Malaya. Mr Chifley said in Sydney that while in Malaya he had discussed the Malayan situation with Mr Malcolm MacDonald, the British Commis-sioner-General. “I cannot say I am very happy about the position in Singapore and Malaya,” he added, “but Mr MacDonald, who is in a position to judge, believes that the situation can be brought under control satisfactorily.” The Australian authorities during the last fortnight refused the Brisbane representatives of one of the biggest rubber estate and tin-mining agencies in Malaya permission to export by sea several hundred revolvers for the protection of European, Australian, and Asiatic employees from terrorists. The agency is now seeking arms from the United States.

Triplets Catch Poliomyelitis.—-Girl triplets 20 months old have contracted poliomyelitis and are now in a serious condition in the poliomyelitis clinic at Edinburgh, Texas.—New York, April 18.