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No. 3. Limitation and Control of Poppy Cultivation by International Action.
This is the real kernel of the matter. So long as poppy cultivation, and particu- larly poppy cultivation in China, is uncontrolled, all efforts to suppress opium smoking, however genuine and however comprehensive, are foredoomed to failure (Cf. British Malaya Committee's Report, 1924, P.A. 51, paragraphs 37-38). Poppy cultivation is not permitted in North Borneo. It is not clear what the Commission contemplates in the way of co-operative purchase of raw opium, how it would work or what good purpose it would effect.
No. 4.
Measures to Combat the Demand for Opium for Smoking Purposes. North Borneo does what it can by propaganda as stated in answers to the Com- mission's questionnaire.
No. 5. Measures to Prevent Illicit Traffic.
Preventive work in North Borneo is under one control and the punishment for illicit traffic is severe, but if all the revenue obtained from opium were spent on pre- ventive work the difference in smuggling would be small. Opium is so easy to smuggle that the problem is considered insoluble so long as ample supplies of illicit opium are available in China.
No. 6. Measures to Identify Government Prepared Opium,
The North Borneo Government is at present endeavouring to arrange for this.
No. 7. Control of International Trade.
Existing legislation in North Borneo covers this.
No. 8. Reduction of Retail Prices on Government Opium. The Government of North Borneo question whether it is true to say that the policy of attempting to limit the demand for opium by high prices for Government opium has proved a failure because it has made smuggling very profitable. This appears to be an inverted way of looking at the fact that so long as unlimited supplies are available for smuggling the profits of illicit traffic will always kill any policy of limiting consumption.
The Commission propose to drive the smugglers out of the trade by reducing the price of Government opium. In practice that would mean coming down to nearly cost price and abandoning any attempt to ration. Obviously rationing must give the opium a scarcity value at once and smuggling would reappear.
The Governor of North Borneo writes as follows with regard to this suggestion : A measured "It would seem that the proposal is like the following illustration. medicine glass stands underneath a tank which leaks into it. The owner has promised gradually to reduce the water in the glass until by progressive reductions it is empty, but he is always frustrated by the leak from the tank which neutralizes all his efforts. He finds that he cannot stop the leak and the only remedy appears to be to empty the tank. It is suggested to him, however, that he can prevent water from the tank affecting his glass by keeping it full himself so that no more water can enter it. This suggestion ignores the fact that he has promised steadily to reduce the water in his glass, and although when it is full the leak cannot affect him the moment he begins to empty it the water from the tank will again operate to fill it."
As the Government of North Borneo read the Commission's proposal this is just what they suggest. An adequate reduction in price would doubtless make the Govern- ment sales cover the area now covered by smuggled opium; Government would con- sider themselves lucky if the provision of cheap opium did not increase its use beyond that area and bring new smokers into the fold. As soon as the price was raised again smuggling would reappear.
It is felt that the high price of Government opium has at least done something to check the spread of the smoking habit even if it has not actually reduced the number
of smokers, and that it is the right policy to keep the price high.
As far as North Borneo is concerned any reduction by neighbouring countries would necessitate similar action in order to discourage local smuggling from one to the other. The cheaper opium is in North Borneo the greater will be the danger of smuggling into the Philippines.
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No. 9. Complete Opium Monopoly for Retail Distribution. This is virtually in force in North Borneo, the exception being certain employers of labour who distribute to their labour force through their own office organization. The proposal in the last two lines of the Commission's remarks under this heading, viz., that all Government retail shops should gradually be merged into Government- owned and managed smoking establishments requires careful scrutiny. It would be very expensive to carry out and of dubious value. Further reference is made to it under No. 13 below.
No. 10. Retailing of Opium for Cash only.
The law of North Borneo requires this, and it is strictly enforced.
No. 11. Measures to Control Individual Consumption. Registration of smokers, pure and simple, is in force in North Borneo, combined with a modified rationing system. The Commission's suggestion that registration with licensing and strict rationing should be put into effect at once could not succeed while production is uncontrolled in China. An effective rationing system puts a premium on smuggling and under present circumstances this interference with personal liberty would give it enormous impetus, especially when combined with the prohibition of smoking outside of the smoking establishments. The suggestion that smoking licences should be issued only on medical certificate or after exhaustive personal inquiry in each case is not practicable in North Borneo. The staff is not available.
No. 12. Prohibition for Minors to Smoke Opium.
North Borneo legislation deals with this. In the matter of raising the age from 21 to 25 North Borneo would doubtless follow any decision of the Malayan Govern- ments, but the Government of North Borneo would deprecate any confusion of the present clear-cut distinction between majority and minority. The age of majority may differ, but any extension of prohibition beyond the age of 21 would be introducing a new and arbitrary distinction. To have any hope of general observance the law must be intelligible to the ordinary man.
No. 13. Smoking Establishments.
The adoption of the policy recommended by the Commission under this heading would involve reversing the previous policy by which North Borneo reduced its smoking shops (1923-1927) from eleven in number to four only. It is assumed that employers of labour whose labourers require chandu would not be exempt. In the case of some of the larger estates it would mean three or four of such establishments on each to cater for the different divisions or camps of labourers. The North Borneo Government has twenty-two retail shops which would have to be closed and smoking establishments built in their place. These would have to be larger and of a better standard than the present ones, and would require more staff. The expense would be enormous, and the only gain would be that Government would not pay for dross. The average paid for the last 10 years is $5,000 per annum. In addition it would be necessary to erect and staff 30 smoking shops for employers of labour, in order to get absolute control of the dross from Government opium.
Only the certainty of success or at least a strong probability would justify such an expensive volte-face in policy. But on the contrary the likelihood of failure is so strong that it is difficult to believe any Government will act on the ipse dixit of the Commission. Such drastic interference with personal liberty could only give a tremendous impetus to smuggling. We are always brought back to the same point- that without control of production all schemes for suppression are vain. If the Govern- ment of China were willing and able to take action similar to that already being taken by the Indian Government, and no fresh sources of production were allowed to start, opium smoking in the Far East could easily be stamped out in a generation Without such control of production we are beating the air and each fresh Committee and Com- mission traverses the same old ground and the same old facts, hut finds the same conclusion inescapable.
No. 14. Control and Disinfection of Opium Pipes. Doubtless it would be a good thing to sterilize the pipes in public smoking estab- lishments if a suitable scientific method can be found. But the proposal to subject the licensed possessors of private pipes to periodic inspection seems an intolerable as well as useless invasion of private rights.