§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, I beg leave to ask His Majesty's Government the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are now in a position to 873 make a full statement regarding the murder of Mr. John Ramsden in Malaya on June 8.]
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State has called for a full report on the case to which the noble Lord has drawn attention, but the report has not yet been received. A preliminary report from the High Commissioner, however, stated that the police were satisfied that this murder was not connected with the recent wave of politically inspired crimes.
§ EARL HOWEMay I ask the noble Earl if he is aware that in the broadcast news at one o'clock to-day there was a report that three more rubber planters in Malaya had been done to death? Has he any information with regard to that matter?
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, while thanking the noble Earl for his reply, I would express the hope that it may turn out that this regrettable murder has no connection with these troubles in Malaya. May I also ask the noble Earl whether he is aware, or whether it is true, that the Governor-General of Malaya or, as I think he is now called, the Commissioner-General in South East Asia, has on various occasions asked that martial law or some form of added protection may be given to these planters living in out-of-the-way stations in Malaya and that, so far as we know, nothing has yet been done?
I have a second supplementary question, and I would preface it by saying how distasteful and uncongenial it is to ask it, since it involves, by implication at least, certain criticisms of a public servant, and one, moreover, with whom I had the privilege of staying one night in Malaya when I was there in February. One hates to feel that anything one may ask might savour of ingratitude, but it is a question that must be asked. Is the noble Earl aware of the fact that at the time the noble Earl himself, in his official capacity, and I, in an unofficial capacity, were in Kuala Lumpur, in February last, much criticism was being directed against the High Commissioner for his reluctance—and, in certain cases, as was reported, his failure—to implement sentences of banishment which had been passed by the High Court there on unruly 874 Chinese elements which were at that time making an extreme nuisance of themselves? May it not well be that that dilatoriness—to use no stronger term—has been at least a contributory cause of that campaign of violence and lawlessness which appears lo be sweeping the Federation of Malaya to-day?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, in reply to the noble Earl, Lord Howe, I am aware of the report of the B.B.C. that three more Europeans have been murdered in Northern Malaya. The noble Earl will appreciate that we have not yet had time to receive any official report about the circumstances in which these crimes occurred. In reply to the first point of the noble Lord, Lord Ailwyn, I should like to remind him that a state of emergency has already been proclaimed in three areas in Malaya and that the High Commissioner is using the special powers which he is entitled to use during a state of emergency. Furthermore, the planters in Malaya have been issued with arms and ammunition for their own protection. Troops have been stationed in the neighbourhood of five plantations where the planters and their managers have been threatened with violence, and we are entirely satisfied that the High Commissioner is taking strong and energetic measures to cope with this outbreak of violence in Malaya.
In reply to the second part of the noble Lord's question, I should like to assure him that for my part, as the result of my personal experience in Malaya and as the result of information I have received in my Department, I am completely satisfied that the High Commissioner took whatever steps ought to have been taken in connection with violence in Malaya before the present outbreak. For instance, in a number of cases he applied the punishment of banishment—a very drastic punishment, indeed—which was quite unknown in any other Colony. In our view, he has acted with great firmness and with a considerable degree of intelligent anticipation of the sort of trouble that has broken out at the present time.
§ EARL HOWEWould the noble Earl inform the House whether he has any information to support the assertion which is widely made that these disorders in Malaya owe their inspiration to a particular form of minority opinion?—I refer to 875 Communism. Furthermore, can he give us an assurance that where planters are living in out-of-the-way districts, every possible step will be taken to see that adequate force is available to give them sufficient protection?
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELYes, we are aware that Communism is behind a great many of these acts of violence. I would remind the noble Earl that the Federation of Trade Unions, a Communist organisation in Malaya, has already been dissolved. So far as the protection of planters is concerned, of course we will do everything possible; and the High Commissioner is already taking action to protect planters and their managers, and those who work under them, in out-of-the-way places in rural Malaya.