HC Deb 12 July 1950 vol 477 cc1345-6
37. Mr. Ian Winterbottom

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what success there has been in recruiting Chinese for the police force in Singapore and the Federation of Malaya; and what is the proportion of Chinese to Malays in the police forces of these two areas.

Mr. Cook

There has recently been a marked improvement in recruitment of Chinese particularly for the uniformed branch of the regular police force of the Malayan Federation. Further batches will be taken on as training facilities at the depots permit. In the whole of that Force there are now 604 Chinese and 13,588 Malays. For Singapore, the figures are 313 Chinese and 2,700 Malays.

Mr. Winterbottom

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that in a mixed community it is undesirable that any one section should monopolise the police force, and will he do his best to ensure that the fairest proportion obtains in the Malaya police force?

Mr. Cook

We are attempting to do this.