The Malayan Communist Party as Recorded in the Comintern Files

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4. Membership of the Party Various figures have been provided for the membership of the MCP in 1930. The 1 June 1930 letter sent to the “English Komparty” gave 1,500 members for the MCP and 4,577 for the LU. Special Branch information cited by Yong claimed that MCP drew its strength from the MGLU with its 10,000–15,000 members, a party membership of 500, and about 11,000 people whom the party controlled through its subsidiary organizations such as the MGLU and MGS[Seamen’s]U. 34 The Comintern Files included a Russian-language report, dated 6 August 1930, that made several observations. It lamented that the organizational situation had not changed quantitatively or qualitatively after the (Party) congress. It noted that a class for native people was organized in Kuala Lumpur and that more than 40 people were arrested in Singapore on 1 August. According to this report, the MCP’s monthly expenditure was 300 dollars (110 for publisher; 50 each for propaganda, organizing and secretariat; 30 for communication, and 10 for activities among the youth). Against expenditure, the monthly revenue was 200 dollars. As such, the party requested the Comintern to subsidize the deficit. 35 Another Russian-language report had a detailed table showing the distribution by state (in Malaya) of the membership of the Party and the Labour Union as at 3 October 1930. This table was contained in a Russian-language letter of 25 November 1930 which was forwarded to the Comintern on 18 December 1930 by Victor (Виктор). 36 The letter may be summarized as follows: We decided to hold the Second CC conference (sic) on 12 October. The situation has improved since the Party congress. The number of [members in] the Party and the Red LU has increased to 1,220 and 6,000 respectively. The influence of the Party among the masses began to increase. The masses are waiting for our instruction. The Anti-Imperialist League (AIL) has a membership of more than 100. The Conference decided to enroll many Malays and Indians in the organizations, appoint a Malay comrade in the CC and elect 5 CC candidates (2 students, 3 workers). One day before the memorial day of the October Revolution, many leading members were arrested. Nonetheless, more than 1,000 people, including 20 Malays 44
and Indians, participated in a demonstration. More than 40 were arrested. In Johor, more than 400, including Malays and Indians, participated. Please urgently dispatch comrades who can aid our work. Please discuss this issue with the CC of the CCP. A further examination of this table reveals a few interesting facts. Most of “Seamen” would be based in Singapore, and Party membership of Singapore far surpassed other places. When we compare this table with the Table 1 of the membership of trade unions, it could be discerned that many of them might be service workers, salesmen and factory workers. Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Perak followed Singapore in the number of members in this order, and many of them must be rubber tappers. Nonetheless, the MCP’s strength had not expanded rapidly within half a year and the Special Branch did not have accurate figures on the party’s membership and influence. Notes 1. Nan Dao Zhi Chun (Spring of South Island), pp.8, 9. 2. Cheah, op. cit., p.16. 3. C.F. Yong, op., cit., p.129. 4. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.3. 5. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.3. 6. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.14. On the English contents, it is entitled “Draft letter Re Tasks of the Com Party of Malaya”. 7. Ф. 495 оп.16 д.51. / O. V. Kuusinen (1881-1964). Secretary of the EC, Comintern, 1921- 1939. 8. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.3. 9. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.6. / Sophie Quinn-Judge, Ho Chi Minh: The Missing Years, 1911-1941, Singapore, Horizon Books, 2003, also quotes this document. But she writes, ‘… the Malay Communist Party was organized on [not since] 24 May’. (pp.169-170) 10. Fang Shan, et.al., eds., 2010a, pp.19-23. 45
Page 1 and 2: 2016 NO. 1 The Malayan Communist Pa
Page 3 and 4: ISSUE: 2016 NO. 01 CONTENTS Preface
Page 5 and 6: I would also like to thank Professo
Page 7 and 8: List of Tables Table 1 Membership o
Page 9 and 10: Yong contended that the MCP’s ant
Page 11 and 12: While continuing my research at ISE
Page 13 and 14: 13. Nandao zhi Chun (Spring of Sout
Page 15 and 16: document, dated 15 January 1942, si
Page 17 and 18: 1. Establishment of the Nanyang Pro
Page 19 and 20: PC members, Wen Xin Ruo (Вень
Page 21 and 22: The CCP’s instruction was also sa
Page 23 and 24: In May 1930, under the guidance of
Page 25 and 26: (15) Tan Tiu-jeng, alias Tan Jui-se
Page 27 and 28: 6. Changes in the Comintern’s Str
Page 29 and 30: (1) Name of the Party: for several
Page 31 and 32: Presidium (GC). From the Comintern
Page 33 and 34: Notes 1. Nandao zhi Chun (Spring of
Page 35 and 36: 26. US National Archives & Records
Page 37 and 38: January 1931 (Ф. 495 оп.62 д.3)
Page 39 and 40: Soon after this conference [before
Page 41 and 42: Yong wrote that the MCP was founded
Page 43 and 44: imperialist can be driven out and t
Page 45: With regard to ((3)-(b)), “people
Page 49 and 50: entitled “The principal demands o
Page 51 and 52: implemented. It is indispensable to
Page 53 and 54: conditions than the native workers.
Page 55 and 56: The MCP’s resolutions quoted abov
Page 57 and 58: 4. Letter from Wang Yung Hai to the
Page 59 and 60: October 1929. In April 1931, the Co
Page 61 and 62: (4) Wang Yung Hai wrote in December
Page 63 and 64: and workers and peasants’ uprisin
Page 65 and 66: We are expecting, after the above m
Page 67 and 68: they had no connections with the Co
Page 69 and 70: It seemed rather strange that the u
Page 71 and 72: code; it was neither translated nor
Page 73 and 74: Details are below: (1) Socio-econom
Page 75 and 76: vii) Create opposition groups in th
Page 77 and 78: quotation marks] of the CCP and rem
Page 79 and 80: 6. Sophie, op., cit., p.169. This p
Page 81 and 82: CHAPTER V THE MCP AND THE COMINTERN
Page 83 and 84: 1932, demonstrations against the Bi
Page 85 and 86: We already have considerable organi
Page 87 and 88: Membership has not changed since si
Page 89 and 90: ecorded the arrest on 22 June 1934
Page 91 and 92: organisations should also participa
Page 93 and 94: Cruxes are shown first: (1) One del
Page 95 and 96: As to MCP’s delegates in Shanghai
Page 97 and 98:
Extraordinaire: Lai Teck, Secretary
Page 99 and 100:
CHAPTER VI THE MCP AND THE COMINTER
Page 101 and 102:
was founded in early 1928, 11 the M
Page 103 and 104:
(2) Shanghai Municipal Police Files
Page 105 and 106:
The most important decision taken a
Page 107 and 108:
workers were mobilized, the Chinese
Page 109 and 110:
to “cooperate with Britain”. Th
Page 111 and 112:
We should eliminate the danger of r
Page 113 and 114:
turn favorable. Even though they ha
Page 115 and 116:
of North Malaya insisted that only
Page 117 and 118:
9. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.30. / In its
Page 119 and 120:
CHAPTER VII THE MCP AND THE COMINTE
Page 121 and 122:
assembly, organisation, belief and
Page 123 and 124:
(2) Characteristics of present stru
Page 125 and 126:
(2) Middle-level cadres: Chi Cheng?
Page 127 and 128:
Even among the overseas Chinese, th
Page 129 and 130:
8. Ф. 495 оп.62 д.28. 9. C.F. Y
Page 131 and 132:
Conclusion of the Third Congress of
Page 133 and 134:
MCP and the so-called “Comintern
Page 135 and 136:
the Japanese Army. Immediately afte
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when Lai Teck could not convince th
Page 139 and 140:
Appendix List of Documents of the R
Page 141 and 142:
Table 1. Membership of Trade Unions
Page 143 and 144:
Wang Yung Hai (no Russian) 王永
Page 145 and 146:
Table 3 Membership of the Communist
Page 147 and 148:
Table 5 Leaders of the NPC & the ea
Page 149 and 150:
1-1 From the Comintern Table 6 Exch
Page 151 and 152:
24) 13 Jun. 1939 SC, MCP Resolution
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The Malayan Communist Party as Recorded in the Comintern Files

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