Festive Eve To Malayan Freedom

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28370, 31 August 1957, Page 13

Festive Eve To Malayan Freedom

(Rec. 10 p.m) KUALA LUMPUR; Au«. 30; At dawn today, Ttinku Abdul Rahman opened the capital's new freedom sports stadium where Malaya’s independence will be proclaimed tomorrow. Tunku Rahman, who will become Malaya’s first Prime Minister tomorrow, said when be declared the stadium open: “Wfe have been anxiously waiting for this moment.”

“■The Duke of Wellington said that the battle of Waterloo was won on tbe playing fields of Eton. Let’s hope that tbe comradeship and unity of the Malayan people, and the goodwill, of all nations near and far, can be won in the stadium ot the Federation of Malaya. “Through sports we hope to promote peace, happiness arid goodwill in thiS world,” he said. State guests from nine Britisn Commonwealth countries and Asian nations attended the opening.

Tn the flrat light of the last day of British role in Malaya, thousands of Malay. Chinese and Indian schoolchildren massed an the arena to form the country’s flag. This morning, the Australian External Affairs > Minister, Mi Richard Casey, was meeting his New Zealand, counterpart, Mr T. L. Macdonald, to discuss future relations with their new Commonwealth neighbours. This afternoon, Mr Casey was to get a briefing on the role <»f Australian troops in the juilgle war in Malaya from a top operations staff officer. Brigadier L. C. Rumsey. Tomorrow, the Duke of Gloucester will hand to Tunku Rahman an instrument of transfer from Queen Elizabeth granting full sovereignty. Today, workmen all over the

Malayan peninsula are putting the finishing touches on thousands of triumphal merdbka arches and other colourful decorations. The flag ot independent Malaya (six white stripes with the crescent moon of Islam and an 11-pointed star- on a blue background in the top right hand corner) Sutters along every , road through - Malaya's thousands ot square miles of rubber plantations, tin mines, rice fields arid thick tropical jungle.

An atmosphere of racial harmony prevailed in the capital where Malays, Chinese, Indians S nd Europeans continued to rub shoulders. Britons were still being treated with every courtesy. As arrangements for the festivities neared completion. Kuala Lumpur pcilice .warned the town’s 400,000 persons to lock their homes when they go to witch the independence declared. Battle Still On There is to ba no holiday for British Commonwealth servicemen fighting Communist terrorists in the jungles. With troops of Malaya, the campaign to wipe cut communism in the new nation is to be intensified on the orders of Tunku tlahmap. The Australian Prime Ministei Mr Menzies, today congratulated Malaya on its achievement of independence within the Commonwealth, in a Radio Australia broadcast. Mr Mehzies said, that Australia would always be ready to further her understanding of Malaya'S problems, and to help in whatever way it could in the solving of them. At Kuala Lumpur, Mr Casey said that Australia would like Malaya to join the South-east Asia' Treaty Organisation, "But you won't find any pressure from us to join it.” he said. , I Mr Casey announced that Aus-

tralia was giving Malays Six diesel Electric rail-carA wdrtb £4OO 000. Mr’ J. M. MacdonnelL Canadian Minister without Portfolio, qffftr&d Malaya reference books for its new External Affairs Department library, technical books for the Kuala Lumpur Technical institute and furniture for its new Parliament. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom IMr Macmillan*, in a- message made public, at Kuala Lumpur yesterday, congratulated Malaya. The inessMe said: “I am very glad to be able to send to you, by the hand of the Lord Chancellor, who is leading the United Kingdom delegation, this message ot welcome to the Federation ot Malaya on this historic occasion of its Achievement of independence and of its membership of the Commonwealth. . . . “May August 31 long be remembered in your history, and in ours, as a great and hippy day in the continuing development of Malaya end of the Commonwealth of Nations.” Royal Representative* Britain and Malaya were linked in dazzling pageantry at Kuala Lumpur Airport yesterday to welcome the Duke and Duchess ot Gloucester, who will represent the Queen at the celebrations. Cannonftre roared across thd jungle-covered hilLs ringing the airport, when the Duke, tvearing the white tropical dress of a field-marshal of the British Army, inspected a Malay fcuard of honour.

The Malayan Information Department today complained to local newspaper editors that Tunku Rahman had been jostled by photographers when he was trying to meet the Duke and Duchess at the airport. Editors were requested to see that . photographers respect arjx*ngements made tor them and i obey policy officer* instructed to hffitn Ihvm