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17 November 1949 SUMMARY Primarily, Malaya is of importance to the US because it is the world's greatest producer of rubber and tin. In 1948 Malaya produced almost half of the total world production of natural rubber and more than a third of the world production of tin. World War II brought forcibly to US attention the importance of these vital commodities to a war-making machine; they retain their importance, if less urgently, in time of peace, and are on the lists of strategic materials designated for US stockpiling. Through the rubber and tin industries, Malaya is the sterling bloc's biggest dollar-earner. As such, Malaya's economic position materially affects that of the UK in the Western Alliance and thus affects ERP and other US financial commitments in Europe. Of secondary but considerable importance are Singapore's extensive naval facilities and strategic location on world shipping lanes. Control of the Malayan peninsula, and especially th...

Date of report: 26 December 1946 1. On 16 December Dato Onn denied that there was any split in the United Malays' National Organization and refused to comment on the future of the Sultans. (xxxxx comment: See xxxxx). However, Malaya Command intelligence sources claim that the UMNO is losing cohesion and there are indications of dissatisfaction in Johore, Singapore and Malacca. 2. On 14 December, Singapore left wing associations formed a "Council of Joint Action", comprising all communities. Malaya was represented by the Malay Nationalist Party. CJA is rejecting the unpublished UMNO-Government agreement on the principle that it is undemocratic procedure, and will meet in Kuala Lumpur on 22 December. Its policy is to oppose the Government-nominated committee which is to consult the views of non-Malay communities. CJA is pressing for a round table conference with the Government and elected representatives of all communities starting from the scratch. The MNP support...

Date: 7 January 1952 1. A Chinese, who was a priest in a Buddhist temple at Bindjei before the war, 1 planned to bring Indonesian counterfeit rupiah notes packed in biscuit tins from Malaya to Sumatra during September 1951. 2 This priest allegedly is married to a Siamese princess.3 However, these plans may have been changed because if the raiding of several Chinese temples in Singapore by British authorities in August or September 1951 in an unsuccessful attempt to find the currency and the priest. 2. The counterfeit notes are denominations of R 100 or above. British authorities in Malaya have acquired one of the notes. It is described as so expert in workmanship that it cannot be distinguished from legitimate Indonesian currency except by serial number. 4 3. The briefcases and military documents of Angkatan Darat Republik Indonesia (ADRI) personnel visiting Malaya may now be utilized for transporting the counterfeit notes. The authorities in Malaya are keeping close check o...

3 December 1962 Recent information reveals that the USSR and Poland have started to purchase rubber directly from Malaya and Singapore rather than through trading firms in London and Western Europe as been the practice heretofore. XXXXXXXXXX direct purchasing of rubber would benefit the Bloc by eliminating the middlemen and their commissions, thereby lowering the cost of the purchased rubber and enabling more expeditious handling of complaints that arise in connection with the shipments. A less obvious benefit is that direct purchasing on a large scale may provide long-run opportunities to the Bloc for the establishment of economic ties with the projected Federation of Malaysia. In recent years, all purchases of Malayan rubber by the USSR and the European Satellites have been made through dealers in London and Western Europe, a situation stemming in part from the anti-Communist attitudes of the Malayan and Singapore governments, which refused to grant entry visas to Bloc trade...