“SOMBRE PICTURE” IN MALAYA: MORE TROOPS DISPATCHED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22696, 22 July 1948, Page 5

“SOMBRE PICTURE” IN MALAYA: MORE TROOPS DISPATCHED

< F.Z.P.A. —Iteuter— Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, July 21 Britain was sending reinforcements to Malaya, said the Minister of Defence, Mr. A. V. Alexander, in the House of Commons today.

He told questioners that the Government would do everything possible to ensure the success of the current operations against the Communist terrorists.

Sir Alec Newboult, officer administering the Government of the Federation of Malaya, told the people of Malaya in a broadcast from Kuala Lumpur tonight that the position was still serious.

He urged the Chinese community to throw its whole weight into the struggle on the side of the Government.

Sir Alec Newbolt gave detaip of the new emergency regulations which required that every person in certain areas should be registered, fingerprinted and required to carry identity cards with their photographs. Sir Alec Newboult revealed that the Government had begun recruiting outside Malaya 50 officers and 250 non-com-missioned officers for the sole purpose of organising the training of a special constabulary. Reviewing the “sombre picture’ 1 Sir Alec Newboult said the Government had had successes and reverses. “Let us face the fact that in this type of warfare we are very much open to attack,” he said. “We cannot be strong everywhere and the enemy will seek out our weaknesses.” A combined military and police party today killed a terrorist leader in a gun battle near Chaah, Johore, where the terrorists yesterday wounded an army despatch rider The terrorist was identified as the president of the local rubber workers’ union. In another incident in Johore today, at Sedenak, Gurkhas killed a terrorist with a kukri and shot another in the leg after the Gurkhas were twice fired on by terrorists. In Selangor four armed Chinese wearing uniforms, dragged - out and shot a Chinese building contractor. Two European families being evacuated from the Kajang area and accompanied bv a strong police party, were ambushed this evening. One European and his son were wounded. The party, led by two jeeps with armed police, was ambushed a few minutes after it left Kachau. _ The police jumped from the jeeps in a hail of fire and immediately engaged the terrorists. The European, despite his wound, drove the two families to safety through the battle. There were 18 bullet holes in the car body when it reached Kajang Hospital. About 40 terrorists raided the Elpml estate 30 miles north of Ipoh at dawn today, setting fire to a rubber factory and godowns, causing damage estimated at more than 100,000 dollars. The attackers then raided neighbouring properties, again burning down factories and smoke-houses. Many estates in the Malayan Federation are seeking armoured cars for patrolling purposes and to protect managements when they are collecting payrolls and paying labourers, says the newspaper Free Press. For the protection of their staffs of their estates throughout Malaya, American plantations have imported arms and ammunition from the United States and are utilising the services of a former American Army officer. Floodlighting is being installed. and the managers’ bungalows are being fenced with barbed wire.

FOOD SHORTAGE IN MALAYA BASIC CAUSE OF TROUBLE

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, July 22. Although Communist agitators were active in Malaya and were working to foster the present disturbances, there was real discontent among the Asiatic peoples 'of the union, said Mr. N. M. Clark, a New Zealander with 30 years’ experience in the Far East who has returned to Dunedin.

He was until recently technical adviser for rice and paddy control to the Malayan Government. Lack of preparation for the control of disturbances had been criticised by Europeans in Malaya who were outside Government circles, he said.

Position Very Serious

“The position is very serious. Undoubtedly, the troubles are inspired by Communists but the basic cause of the disturbances is the inadequacy of the rice supply which is 90 per cent of the Asiatics diet.” European businessmen, such as planters, tin miners and merchants, had realised the depth of the troubles but the Malayan Civil Service, said Mr. Clark, had allowed matters to drift along. The Asiatics were growing increasingly dissatisfied with their 2oz. ration of rice a day from supplies allocated through the International Emergency Food Committee in Washington. especially when the black-market rice was plentiful at high prices.

Fertile Ground For Keds

General dissatisfaction among workers’ unions had proved a very fertile ground for Communist agitation rather than the Communist doctrine, for the Chinese and Indian races were mostly illiterate and had not the slightest idea of what communism meant. “It is quite apparent,” said Mr. Clark, “that the present system of a governing body under direct control from Whitehall must be altered and a more representative council appointed by the people. “The Asiatic is quite prepared to be governed by Europeans but the younger Chinese and Indians, in particular, want an extension of the franchise.