§ 148. Mr. Draysonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is his latest information regarding Communist connections with, and influence on, the Malayan bandits; and what further progress has been made in bringing about a settled state in Malaya.
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Mr. Creech JanesThe Malayan Communist Party, which is an orthodox Communist organisation, continues to be an active influence behind the banditry in Malaya. There is no evidence that the bandits are receiving direct material assistance from the Communist Party in China or elsewhere. Since my statement to the House on 26th October there has been, in spite of local setbacks, further steady progress. Although the end of the emergency cannot yet be predicted, the bandits' difficulties are increasing daily, and the fear of being shot by their own leaders is in many cases making it difficult for larger numbers to surrender. Over 300 have surrendered since the outbreak of the emergency, more than one half of these since the announcement of the surrender terms on 6th September.