29. Air Commodore Harveyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many terrorists surrendered in Malaya during the months of January, February, March, April and May of this year.
§ Mr. LytteltonThe figures are 39, 36, 30, 29 and 14. During the first half of June the rate of surrenders rose again to an average of one a day.
Air Commodore HarveyDoes my right hon. Friend consider these figures satisfactory, and is he aware that while the recent statement of General Templer is good as far as it goes, the fact is that war may continue for some time to come, and so these figures are disconcerting to everybody? Would my right hon. Friend care to enlarge on them?
§ Mr. LytteltonThe decline in surrenders which these figures show during those five months is not due to any stiffening of morale among the terrorists because the evidence is that their morale is deteriorating. The reduction in the figures may be because surrender is difficult in the deep jungle. As I said, the rate is now up to one a day.