§ 19. Captain Alan Grahamasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, how many cases of labour disputes in Singapore and Malaya, since 3rd September, 1939, are traceable to Communist agitation; how many men have been involved; what was the nature of the work on which they had been engaged; and what measures is he taking to counteract this menace?
Mr. M. MacDonaldIn view of the length of the answer, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
Mr. Creech JonesIs it not time that this bogy about Communist causes of industrial disputes was destroyed, and cannot the right hon. Gentleman recognise that the workers concerned are suffering from perfectly legitimate industrial grievances?
§ Captain GrahamIs my right hon. Friend aware that it is not a bogy, but the actual fact?
§ Mr. PalingSo are wages.
§ Following is the reply:
§ It is difficult to give exact figures of the numbers of disputes attributable to Communist agitation or of the number of men involved; but as regards major disputes, involving more than 1,000 men, there have been at least four in Singapore and one in the Federated Malay States. Including less important strikes, the industries affected have been, among others, saw-mills, rattan factories, building, pineapple canning, rubber mills, rubber packing, engineering shops, lighters, coal mining and the Singapore Harbour Board. Where the law has been broken by Communist agitators, the offenders have been dealt with by prosecution, deportation in the case of aliens, the requirement of residence in restricted areas, the seizure of duplicating plant used for Communist literature and by normal police measures. Generally there has been an absence of actual disturbance.