§ 76. Mr. W. Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that there is disquiet in Malaya owing to the efforts made by Japan to obtain rice from the international pool; and whether he will give an assurance that there will be no reduction in the present Malayan rice ration.
Mr. Creech JonesI understand that the International Emergency Food Council has allocated to Japan 50,000 tons of rice from Siam for the first half of 1949. This rice is, however, of a kind not acceptable in Malaya; and I am unaware of any disquiet in Malaya on account of the allocation. While I am unable to give a guarantee that the present rice ration in Malaya will not be reduced for unforeseeable causes during 1949, there is no question of this allocation to Japan from Siam reducing the supplies to Malaya.