Malaya?

Regarding the present condition of Malaya, the British Labour Government proposed a new constitution for (1) a Malayan Federation (Legislative) Assembly consisting of 14 Government officials and 16 nominated by the High Commissioner—not one elected representative. (2) A Singapore Council with 16 nominated members and six elected on a limited franchise.

The people rejected this sham "constitution," organised a general strike against it (1947) and boycotted the so called "elections" in Singapore. (Under 10 per cent, of those eligible voted.)

Today laws forbid meetings of more than five people. The Press is strictly censored, The Malayan fighters are called "[unclear: bandits]." In fact they are the same heroes, trade unionists and peasant leaders who led the resistance against the Japanese, liberated Malaya in August, 1945, were in control before British troops landed, and were thanked publicly by Lord Mountbatten. A number marched in the Victory Parade in 1946, led by Lau Yew, who was shot dead by British led police in 1948, his battered corpse being photographed by a U.S. "Life" reporter.

If resistance were really the work of a handful of "bandits" and "terrorists" why are 10,000 arrested and 40,000 banished? Why after 20 months of full scale warfare is the war not dying down but flaring up? Why do the imperialists need about 130,000 personnel for "bandit suppression?" Why send the Colonial Secretary to Malaya?

Fighters for freedom have been called "bandits" before by the ruling classes: Joan of Arc, Robert Bruce, Owen Glendower of Wales, were denounced as lawless criminals for their leadership in the work of national liberation.

—W.M.