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(2) Characteristics of present struggle<br />
<strong>The</strong> economic struggle h<strong>as</strong> become <strong>the</strong> b<strong>as</strong>is of revolutionary <strong>in</strong>fluence. No matter<br />
whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> struggle succeeds or fails, it directly damages and weakens BI’s<br />
politico-economic foundation. Thus, <strong>the</strong> work<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>as</strong>ses’ revolutionary path is<br />
advanced. <strong>The</strong> CC demands that all <strong>Party</strong> members objectively respond to this new<br />
situation and boldly and persistently lead <strong>the</strong> economic struggle. 8<br />
On <strong>the</strong> po<strong>in</strong>t of <strong>Party</strong> membership C. F. Yong h<strong>as</strong> provided <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g figures<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ed on police files: March 1937 – 379 members; April 1939 – 1,000; May 1940 –<br />
1,700; and 1941 – 5,000. 9<br />
5. TPP-38 (April 1938), TPP-a (April 1939) and TPP-b (January 1940)<br />
It is necessary to compare <strong>the</strong> two Ten-po<strong>in</strong>t Programmes, namely, TPP-a of 1939 and TPP-b of<br />
1940. In fact, <strong>in</strong> April 1938, <strong>the</strong> CSC of <strong>the</strong> MCP had adopted ano<strong>the</strong>r Ten-po<strong>in</strong>t Programme<br />
(denoted here by TPP-38). 10 C. F. Yong’s analysis of <strong>the</strong>se TPPs may be summarized <strong>as</strong> follows:<br />
(TPP-38) dropped <strong>the</strong> cl<strong>as</strong>s l<strong>in</strong>e and anti-British policy. Instead, it w<strong>as</strong> <strong>the</strong> m<strong>as</strong>s l<strong>in</strong>e<br />
to unite with <strong>the</strong>ir adversary, <strong>the</strong> British authorities, <strong>in</strong> an all-out war aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
Japanese expansionism. Probably <strong>the</strong> work of Lai Teck, this TPP-38 represented <strong>the</strong><br />
shift towards <strong>the</strong> extreme right.<br />
(TPP-a) emph<strong>as</strong>ized <strong>the</strong> demand for democratic rights and <strong>the</strong> preservation of peace<br />
and security for Malaya. It w<strong>as</strong> aga<strong>in</strong> moderate and <strong>the</strong> “anti-British” word<strong>in</strong>g w<strong>as</strong><br />
dropped on purpose<br />
<strong>The</strong> radicalization of <strong>the</strong> MCP took place soon after <strong>the</strong> outbreak of <strong>the</strong> European<br />
war <strong>in</strong> September 1939, culm<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> resolution at <strong>the</strong> second plenary meet<strong>in</strong>g<br />
of <strong>the</strong> CC (sic) <strong>in</strong> January 1940. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>nocuous demand for democratic rights <strong>in</strong><br />
TPP-a w<strong>as</strong> replaced with a fight<strong>in</strong>g platform of <strong>the</strong> TPP-b – “<strong>the</strong> eviction of BI from<br />
Malaya, <strong>the</strong> atta<strong>in</strong>ment of national <strong>in</strong>dependence”. 11<br />
6. Ma<strong>in</strong> issues of dispute – Change of viewpo<strong>in</strong>ts<br />
121