31
475
30
Federal Council on the motion for the adjournment of the Council at its last meeting held on the 18th November, together with a copy of my speech* as President of the Council winding up the debate on the motion for adjournment. Copies of my opening address were enclosed with my Confidential Federated Malay States despatch dated the 17th November.t
2. This was the first occasion since the new policy was announced at Sri Menanti in August on which the Unofficial Members of the Federal Council have had an oppor- tunity of expressing their views on it in public; and it is very satisfactory that these views are, as you will see, on the whole so favourable.
3. The Press comments on the policy which have appeared in the Malayan news- papers, both English and vernacular, since the first announcement at Sri Menanti also continue to be generally favourable. Public opinion in fact may be said to recognize that the principles underlying the policy are essentially sound, and such criticisms as there are consist of admonitions to the Government not to proceed too fast in putting it into operation. I considered it advisable, therefore, to emphasize in my speech on the adjournment that no one was more conscious than myself of the necessity for pro- ceeding cautiously.
4. The comments in the Malay vernacular Press are almost entirely concerned These with the form which the new State Councils will take under the scheme. Councils, as hitherto constituted, consisted as you are aware of Malay Rajas and Chiefs with the addition of the British Resident and of one or two leading representatives of the Chinese community. The fear has been expressed that, when the Councils are recognized and strengthened to fit them for the greatly increased responsibilities which "representation will over- will devolve upon them under decentralization, “foreign shadow the present preponderating Malay element. I am addressing you by this mail with regard to the reconstitution of the Councils on which Their Highnesses the Rulers have, after consultation with their Residents, agreed. While it is true that the State Councils will in future no longer be the preserve of titled Malays, and that the repre- sentation of other races on them is being increased, the effect of the reconstitution will nevertheless be to bring the Malay Chiefs into intimate touch with the leading far officials and unofficials of their respective States and so to enable them to play more important part than heretofore in the administration and development of the country.
I have, &c.,
C. CLEMENTI,
High Commissioner.
2. For convenience of reference I classify hereunder the previous despatches on this subject.
(a) Public Statements of the Policy.
(i) Proceedings of Sri Menanti Durbar: forwarded under cover of my Confidential
despatch Federated Malay States of 16th September, 1931.*
(ii) Address to Legislative Council at Singapore: forwarded under cover of my Straits
Settlements despatch No. 551 of 21st October, 1931.†
(iii) Address to the Federal Council at Kuala Lumpur forwarded under cover of my
Federated Malay States Confidential despatch of 17th November, 1931.‡
(b) Public Criticisms of the Policy.
(i) In Legislative Council at Singapore: forwarded under cover of my Straite Settlements
despatch No. 551 of 21st October, 1931.†
(ii) In the Federal Council, forwarded under cover of my Federated Malay States
Confidential despatch of 17th December, 1931.§
(iii) In the Press: forwarded under cover of my Personal letter to Mr. Thomas, dated 27th August, 1931, and referred to in general terms in paragraph 4 of my Confidential Federated Malay States despatch of 17th December, 1931.§
(e) Reorganization of Federal Departments.
(i) Medical and Health Department: my Confidential Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States despatch, dated 29th October, 1931; and my Confidential Federated Malay States despatch of 18th November, 1931.**
(ii) Public Works Department: my Confidential Straits Settlements and Federated Malay
States despatch (2) of 29th October, 1931.††
(iii) Audit Department: my Confidential Federated Malay States and Straits Settlements
despatch of 6th November, 1931.‡‡
(iv) Inspectorate of Prisona: my Straits Settlements despatch No. 555 of 27th October,
1931.§§
(v) Drainage and Irrigation Department: my Federated Malay States and Straits
Settlements Confidential despatch of 26th November, 1931.||||
(d) Reconstitution of State Councils.
My Confidential Federated Malay States despatch (2) of 17th December, 1931.¶¶
(e) Status of Sultan of Johore.
My Federated Malay States (Johore) Confidential despatch of 9th October, 1931.***
(f) Proposed Postal Board for Malaya.
My Federated Malay States despatch No. 766 of 17th December, 1931.†††
3. There are numerous other matters in connexion with the policy upon which
I hope to address you later, such as the proposed Railway Board for Malaya, the proposed Customs Union for Malaya, the proposed Appeal Court for Malaya, the reorganization of secretariat work in the Federation and the reorganization of the financial control of the Federation; but the study of these subjects has not yet advanced far enough for despatches to be prepared concerning them.
I have, &c..
C. CLEMENTI,
C. 92300/32 [No. 6].
SIR.
No. 12.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
THE HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 18th January, 1932.)
(Confidential.)
[Answered by No. 14.]
Government House, Singapore, 24th December, 1931. IN continuation of previous correspondence, I have the honour to forward Decentralization in the Federated Malay herewith 50 copies of a memorandum* on
States as a preliminary to pan-Malayan federation." It will, I hope, be suitable for circulation to the Cabinet as an explanation of the policy now in contemplation, which aims at producing a true federation of the States of Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and Pahang as a necessary step towards an all-embracing federation of British Malaya. This memorandum was drafted by myself and has been revised by Mr. A. Caldecott, C.B.E., acting Chief Secretary to Government, Federated Malay States, by Dr. R. O. Winstedt, C.M.G., D.Litt., General Adviser, Johore, and by Mr. M. B. Shelley, acting Colonial Secretary of the Straits Settlements. It has, therefore, been examined from the point of view of the Colony and the Unfederated Malay States as well as of the Federated Malay States.
*Not reprinted.
+ C. 92300/32 [No. 3]: not printed.
C. 92300/32 [No. 8].
SIR,
No. 13.
STRAITS SETTLEMENTS.
FEDERATED MALAY STATES.
High Commissioner.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 1st February, 1932.)
(Confidential.)
Government House, Singapore, 2nd January, 1932. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Confidential telegram No. 213, dated 30th December,‡‡‡ informing me that you are prepared to approve the appointment of Mr. G. Sturrock to a combined post but that the exact nature of his
¶ No. 69.
** No. 70. No. 50.
* C. 82456/31 [No. 3]: not printed. C. 92300/32 [No. 3]: not printed.
†† No. 57. ¶¶ No. 36.
† C. 82163/31 (No. 1]: not printed.
§ No. 11. || Č. 82395/31 (No. 12]: not printed. ‡‡ C. 82351/31 [No. 28]: not printed. *** No. 40.
§§ No. 55. ††† No. 45. #11 No. 58.
PECORD OFFICE
Reference -
wuthhim C.O.882/12
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE RF REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON