MORE PLANTERS MURDERED IN MALAYA

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1948, Page 5

MORE PLANTERS MURDERED IN MALAYA

(N.Z.P.A.—Reuter Cable). SINGAPORE, November 9. Mr. J. B. Middleton, Manager of the Sungei Tekal Estate, in Pahang, who comes from Scotland, was shot dead by terrorists last night. Middleton, with the British Police Sergeant went to the assistance of special constables who were defending a palm oil factory. He was ambushed, and was killed within a short distance of his bungalow. The sergeant was shot through the leg, but he managed to crawl back to warn the assist-ant-manager, who threw two hand grenades at the terrorists, who then withdrew. The factory was set' on fire, and was destroyed. This is the second European planter to be murdered within twentyfour hours. Seven more Chinese terrorists were reported killed in a. late communique issued at Kuala Lumpur tonight. Seaforths and Royal Artillery troops yesterday “swept” the Muar Lenga district of Johore. Seven Chinese were killed and one was wounded trying to escape. In addition, the # troops detained 103 suspects. They included 40 or b 0 known terrorists, who aided the terrorists. More Active Policy Wanted in Malaya LONDON, Nov. 10 Lord Mancroft, who recently returned irom Malaya, opening the Malayan debate in the House oi Horus criticised the Government's policy as vacillating, complacent ana unrealistic. Lord iviancroft said that planters viewed with a candid eye the policy the Government pursued and which, they oeneved, haa seriously aggravated their difficulties. ■’Tne Government asked for trouble in Malaya,” he said. It is not good blaming what has happened in the past three years entirely on the Communists." The Government had allowed six Russian-educated men to get control oi a large, undisciplined body and turn it to their advantage. Lord iviancroft accused the Government oi being lux in tne training and equipping oi ponce and the upkeep oi the intelligence service. He demanded a Government statement of policy on the future of Malaya and tne relations between the Chinese and Malayan population. “Both sections of the community have the impression of insincerity," he said. “We are on trial in Malaya. Malayans have never ceased to think that 1 we let them down." SOAKED IN COMMUNISM Lord Listowel said the Far Eastern war had left in its wane a small but highly dangerous section of the population, soaked in the Communist philosophy, trained in guerrilla tactics ana supplied with arms and ammunition. ft was not the British Government’s fault that the civil administration had inherited this powder magazine from the military government. He could not discount the outside influence which the pattern of Communist violence in South-east Asia suer ties ted Alter five months’ fighting, it was not too early to say tnat the Communist bandits had failed utterly and completely to achieve their aim. They had not overthrown the established Government. They had completely failed to rally any substantial proportion of the Malayan people to their He added that 448 bandits had been captured and killed in the last five months—s2s Chinese, 15 Malayans, two Indians and six Buddhists. In the same period 262 civilian men, women and children had been murdered, ineluding 20 Europeans, eight Indians, 38 Malayans and 189 Chinese. SINGAPORE, Nov. 10. Seventeen bandits were killed in the past 24 hours, while two police and two special constables were killed. Operations in the Muar district, Johore, ended on Sunday with the killing of twelve bandits.