INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES
Cypher (0.T.P.)
Orig. on 52928/20/49
FROM SINGAPORE (Sir F. Gimson)
Do
17th February 1949
" 12.45 hrs.
R. 17th
IMMED TÅ TE
No. 152.
Secret.
Addressed to the S. of 3.
Repeated to the High Commissioner for the Federation
of Malays.
Commissioner General
霉霉
'
11
**
Governor of Hong Kong
#
14
Ambassador Nanking (Commissioner General please pass).
Following for Paskin from Ginson.
Begins.
The organisation in Singapore of foreign political parties is clearly a factor which militates against the growth of a Malayan civic consciousness, This was realised in the past and to a large extent was the reason for Sir Cecil Clementi'sban on the K.M.T. Organisation in Malaya. To show historical background and also reactions which might be expected I may quote from supplement to number · 4 to P.I.J. number 10/1948:-
"Before the war KMT was not accepted as a lawful registered society under societies legislation in Malaya. It had been banned since the days of Sir Cecil Clementi's governorship in spite of strong pleas
favour by Lord Killearn who, as Sir Miles Lampson, was H.M. Ambassador to China at the time.
2. The wisdom of Sir Cecil's ban was never held in question by those Chinese who are essentially Malayan in outlook. But with the war all barriers were broken down and both right wing o2 KMT and left wing groups were encouraged to mobilize against the Japanese, Even so there would be few Malayan Chinese today who would regret re-imposition of such
ban on Chinese political parties in Malaya, influential local leaders here have been driven towards one
Most
camp or the other.
B
3, 80 long as alien politics are permitted to play such a large part in the lives and interests of the Chinese in Malaya, it is unreasonable ever to expect the Chinese here to develop any real sense of loyalty to Malaya as the country of their adoption. Only when power of these alien political groups is broken or reduced will genuine Malayan Chinese leaders begins to come forward. Without full protection of Malayan Government authority they know they are certain to be attacked
by/
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