Page:Cabinet Memoranda 29 August 1945 (cab-129-1-cp-133).pdf/1



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COPY NO. 36
 * SECRET
 * C.P.(45)133
 * 29th August, 1945


 * AT their meeting on the 31st May, 1944, the War Cabinet gave provisional approval to certain proposals regarding the future policy of His Majesty's Government in Malaya and Borneo. These proposals had been formulated by a Ministerial Committee appointed for the purpose, and the Committee's report was circulated to the War Cabinet on the 18th May, 1944, under the number W.P. (44) 258. A copy of the report forms the Annex to this paper.


 * 2.As regards Malaya, the Committee expressed the view that the restoration of the pre-war constitutional and administrative system would be undesirable in the interests of efficiency and security, and of our declared purpose of promoting self-government in Colonial territories. The Committee went on to point out that His Majesty has at present no jurisdiction in the Malay States, and that his relations with the States rest upon treaties with the individual Rulers, under which the Rulers remain nominally independent, though bound to accept British advice on all matters except Mohammedan religion and Malay custom. As a necessary preliminary to all further changes in Malaya, the Committee recommended that fresh Treaties should be made with each of the Rulers, under which such jurisdiction would be ceded to His Majesty as would enable him to legislate for the States under the Foreign Jurisdiction Act. Thereafter an Order-in-Council would be made which would provide for the future central and local government of the country. There would be established a Malayan Union with a central legislature; a Malayan Union Citizenship would also be created, which would not be confined to the Malays, but would be open to persons of whatever race, who may have been born in the country or who have genuinely adopted Malaya as their home. Thus the existing racial and parochial barriers would be broken down.


 * 3.The Committee went on to recommend that the British Settlements of Penang and Malacca (at present part of the Colony of the Straits Settlements) should be incorporated in the Malayan Union, but that Singapore should for the time being (and without prejudice to the possibility of later amalgamation with the Malayan Union) be administered as a separate Colony under a separate Governor. Finally, the Committee envisaged that there should be appointed a "Governor-General," who would reside at Singapore and who would have the power of control not only over the Governor of the Malayan Union and the Governor of Singapore, but also over British Representatives in Borneo.


 * 4.War Cabinet approval for these proposals was only given provisionally and for planning purposes. Plans have now been proceeding on this basis for over a year, and Sir Harold MacMichael, until recently High Commissioner for Palestine, has been provisionally selected as the special Representative of His Majesty's Government who will go out to Malaya to conclude the new Treaties with the Malay Rulers. Sir Harold has already paid a preliminary visit to India and S.E.A.C., and has thoroughly acquainted himself with the whole subject.

5.It has been strongly represented to me by Admiral Mountbatten that a proper reception of His Majesty's Governments policy in Malaya and elsewhere depends upon its timely publication in advance. I find much force in [30408]