§ 107. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the reasons for the arrest of the president and secretary of the Teachers' Union in Singapore; what charges were brought against them; and with what result.
Mr. DugdaleThe persons to whom my hon. Friend refers were detained on account of their association with a subversive organisation known as the Anti-British League, a body affiliated to the Malayan Communist Party. The evidence against these persons and against others detained in the same connection is still under examination, and individual charges will, wherever possible, be preferred.
§ 109. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are taken to scrutinise those people in Malaya who are sent to camps, with a view to ensuring that only guilty persons are sent there.
Mr. DugdaleNormally persons who are suspected of giving assistance to the terrorists are detained under individual Orders made by the Chief Secretary. The procedure by which these people can appeal is described in the reply given to the hon. Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 14th December, 1950. Exceptionally, if the inhabitants of a village or district have persistently failed to co-operate with Government in restoring law and order, a collective detention176W Order is made. All persons detained under collective Orders are screened after arrival in the detention camp and those who can safely be released are then resettled.