Malayan “War” May be Drawn-out Struggle

Grey River Argus, 6 September 1948, Page 7

Malayan “War” May be Drawn-out Struggle

Advantages Ail On Side of Guerrillas <From Roy Macartney, N.Z.P.A. — Reuter’s Correspondent). SINGAPORE (By Airjnail) . The Chinese Communist insurrection in Malaya may drag on for years with all the expense, economic dislocation, tying down of troops and annoyance that it will entail for Britain. Their military venture seems so futile and suicidal it automatically poses the questions: “Why did they even try?” The answer generally . accepted in authoritative circles in Singapore is that the Malayan Communists are banking on an early war in Europe. All the early advantage lie with the Communists—ability to exploit favourable terrain, surprise, quick deployment, elusiveness and terror, but long-term prospects are not bright. A mere handful of 5000 to 10,000 men, denied overseas reinforcement of arms or materials cannot offer a serious threat to any wellestablished Government. The Malayan Communist threat is not nearly as serious as those in Burma and Indo-China where Nationalism is far more militant and uncompromising. Despite dormant Chinese sympathy, the 10,000 Malayan revolutionaries—mostly immigrant Chinese—must fight without the support or voluntary co-operation of. the population. Even without a European war, it will probably take as long as three years to eradicate all Malayan Communists who have taken up arms. The first phase of restoring law and order, maintaining economic life, restoring morale and driving- terrorists out of towns and villages back into the jungle may take up to nine months. The Germans and Japanese during the war learned how difficult it was to deal with will-of-the-wisp guerrillas. Now a similar task confronts the British authorities in Malaya although on this occasion the guerrillas will not be able to lean too heavily on the local population, even the quiescent Chinese, for support. Here is the Jine-up—five to ten thousand Communist guerrillas, saboteurs or assassins are believed to be operating in Malaya. They are controlled by a six-man central Executive Committee. So secret the names of its members are, that they are not even known to the next in the chain of command. There are similar bodies in every State and major town. In turn, these break down into district authorities. The Communist machine is highly efficient, well-or-ganised and strictly disciplined. Communications are good. The Communists are known to be operating at least two' wireless transmitters—one in the north and one in the south of Malaya. In addition they have a remarkably effective courier system. They have an administrative branch, an intelligence corps and an espionage organisation. In fact their socalled “Malayan People’s Anti-Brit-ish Army” is practically a replica of the war-time “Malayan People’s Anti-Japanese Army,” with the significant difference that this time it will not be nurtured by outside supplies or arms, equipment and instructors.

Ten thousand members of the M.P.A.-J.A. laid down their arms in December, 1945. Many were Kuomintang supporters and became peaceful citizens. The old guerrilla army maintained its formation underground, however, under the cloak of the M.P.A.-J.A. Ex-Servicemen’s Association. When the call went out recently for mobilisation about 4009 “fanatical” Communists —backbone of the M.P.A.-J.A. and now the M.P.A.B.A.—responded together with a number of fellow travellers and sympathisers eager for a chance to kill and look Many of the old M.P.A.J.A. lines with major concentrations of guerrillas in the same regimental areas as during the Japanese occupation. These were: First Regiment, Selangor; Second Regiment, Negri Sembilan; Third Regiment, North Johore; Fourth Regiment, South Johore; Fifth Regiment, Perak; Sixth Regiment, West Pahang; Seventh Regiment, East Pahang; Eighth Regiment, Kedah. Arms “salted away” at demobilisation, were dug up. Malayan authorities have admitted they found only three of fifteen arms dumps scattered throughout the country. One contained over 200 tommy and machineguns and nearly 500 revolvers. At a conservative estimate, it is believed the Communists have enough modern weapons to arm at least 4000 men. In addition, many already killed or captured have been wearing war-time jungle greens plus British or Japanese equipment showing considerable supplies of these too were “salted” away. These guerrilla fighters estimated at 5000 plus, are at present re-organ-ising and training in their jungle fastnesses aiming to complete mobilisation by September 1. It is known that about 20 Chinese instructors have slipped into Malaya from Siam, crossing the rugged Siam-Malaya boarder by one of the innumerable tracks. In addition, they have 1000 skilled saboteurs and assassins dispersed throughout Malaya living in settlements, villages, and towns apparently as peaceful citizens. Six hundred of these were deployed in the federation of Malaya and 400 in Singapore. The crisis months are yet to come. In the meantime, the saboteurs and assassins have been at work seeking to terrorise Europeans and the local population and paralyse the country’s economy. Even the guerrillas preparing for bigger things, , have carried out sporadic raids such as that on the Batu Arang colliery. But not all their plans have reached fruition, as Mr Malcolm MacDonald, British Commissioner General in south-east Asia, has revealed. British counter-measures including widespread arrests have forestalled many of them including the seemingly incredible optimistic Comjnunisti expectation that they would control sufficient .territory by August 3, to proNaim a Communist Republic of Malaya.