§ 30. Mr. Rees-Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that rice is the staple food of the Asiatic population of British Malaya; that the Malayan rice ration is less than a quarter of the Indian ration, about one-sixth of the Rangoon ration and approximately one-third of the Japanese ration; that although the rice allocation in Malaya for the second half of this year is considerably below that which was requested, only a half of this amount has actually been received; and what practical steps are now being taken to overcome the difficulties of rice transportation to Malaya.
Mr. Creech JonesI am very much aware of the difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies of rice for Malaya, and this matter is receiving my constant attention. But it is not possible to accept without qualification the comparisons set out in the second part of my hon. Friend's Question, since they leave out of account a number of factors, especially the inclusion of substantial quantities of flour in the Malayan ration. As regards the last two parts of the Question, owing to the sources from which Malayan rice is drawn, it was inevitable that less than half the second half-year's allocation should be received in the first four months 1377 of the period, and I am afraid that even by the end of the year there may be some shortfall, but I am doing everything possible to keep it as small as possible.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsIs the Minister aware that it is no use talking about flour; that rice is the staple diet, and in many cases Asiatics will not eat flour even if they are given it, that they do not know what to do with it; and will he take steps to do something about getting rice from Siam, because that is really urgent?
Mr. Creech JonesI can only assure my hon. Friend that every conceivable step has been taken to increase the supplies of rice in Malaya, and that all possible sources have been tapped, including Siam. If flour is not included in the ration at the present time the population will die.
Mr. DriberǵHas my right hon. Friend observed that there is likely to be an exportable surplus of a million tons of rice in Burma after the harvest next December, and will he take steps now to make sure that Malaya gets its fair share of that?
Mr. Creech JonesI repeat, every conceivable step has been taken. We are fully alive to all possible sources, and we are very conscious of the difficulties existing in Malaya.