MALAYA DEFEAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 87, 14 April 1942, Page 5

MALAYA DEFEAT

COMMISSION REFUSED

"NOT IN THE GENERAL

INTEREST"

LONDON. April 13. In the House of Commons, Mr. Winston Churchill answered questions about Malaya and Singapore. He said that Major-General Gordon Bennett's report had been received, but was not suitable for publication. The Government was collecting information, including reports from people who had escaped from Singapore, and General Wavell himself would no doubt furnish a

report when he had time,

Mr. Churchill did not think it would be in the general interest t& have an inquiry by a commission into the events leading up to the fall of Singapore, and he declined to prejudge a difficult issue, especially when many of those concerned were prisoners of war. He went on to say that all his information was to the effect that the people of Malaya were friendly throughout.

Speaking of the period before Japan declared war, Mr. Churchill said there were a number of conferences, some secret, to which the Netherlands and other Powers, were invited, but that publication of the immense amount of technical material would only help the enemy. He gave an assurance that none of the lessons that could be learnt from the fighting in Malaya were being neglected.