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5.
Subject to clauses 6 and 7, you will restore by proclamation the fiscal laws of the territories operative before Japanese occupation and will enforce them as soon as possible. Payment to the enemy of Government dues relating to the periods both before and
uring Japanese occupation should be accepted as valid discharge. As far as possible, you should endeavour to collect sums due in respect of the period of the Japanese occupation as well as for the period prior to that.
6.
You should restore the former customs tariff in Sarawak and. should bring those of Brunej and Labuan into line with those of British North Borneo.
7.
8.
The Government opium monopolies should not be restored.
Any arrears of emoluments or pensions due to serving or retired members of the Government Service should be recogniseð, on condition of loyal and proper behaviour in each case, and reasonable advances on account of sums due should be paid in such cases.
9.
You should pay any claims against the Governments of the four territories in respect of the period prior to their occupation by the Japanese, which you are able to verify, except claims for wer damage, within a limit in each case of £1,000. Claims which cannot be verified, as well as all those in respect of war damage prior to, or during, the occupation, should br recorded for action at a later date in accordance with instructions to be given by H.M. Government.
10.
You should guard against inflation. Consideration should be given to the possibility of increasing taxation and proposals should be submitted to the War Office.
11.
Currency.
New Malayan notes and coin together with British North Borneo and Sarawak coin are being made available for the use of the Allied Forces in Borneo. A proclamation should be published making such currency legal tender on a par with North Borneo Government, Sarawak Government, and old Malayan notes and coin found in the country; but excepting Malayan notes of $10,000 and 1,000 which should not be legal tender currency and which the holders should be instructed to deposit with your administration for investigation as to the source of supply. Should such investigation reveal that they were lawfully obtained, you should give to the holder legal currency in exchange.
12.
Notes of all denominations of the old Malayan, North Borneo and Sarawak issues should not be reissued after acceptance by the military administration. In this way it is intended to secure a gradual withdrawal of the old notes without the difficulties of a special exchange. North Borneo and Sarawak coin should continue to circulate and should not be withdrawn.
13. (a) It must be assumed that Japanese notes have, owing to the lapse of time, become general currency, at any rate in towns. You should, therefore, accept them from individuals, including, at your discretion, any small one-man firms and companies to whom you think it reasonable that the concession should be made, in payment both for relief supplies and government dues of any kind. For this purpose an exchange rate of
to
should be adopted initially subject to alteration downwards without notice.
Notes of larger denominations than ten dollars, ten yen or ten guilders should not be accepted for any purpose; no Japanese notes should be declared by you to be legal tender.
(b) Holders of Japanese notes should, as soon as arrangements can be made, be given an opportunity to deposit their holdings with you subject to subsequent decision by H.M. Government as to treatment, the clear understanding that this does not imply that any value w subsequently be received by them.