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4. Membership of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Party</strong><br />
Various figures have been provided for <strong>the</strong> membership of <strong>the</strong> MCP <strong>in</strong> 1930. <strong>The</strong> 1 June 1930<br />
letter sent to <strong>the</strong> “English Komparty” gave 1,500 members for <strong>the</strong> MCP and 4,577 for <strong>the</strong> LU.<br />
Special Branch <strong>in</strong>formation cited by Yong claimed that MCP drew its strength from <strong>the</strong> MGLU<br />
with its 10,000–15,000 members, a party membership of 500, and about 11,000 people whom <strong>the</strong><br />
party controlled through its subsidiary organizations such <strong>as</strong> <strong>the</strong> MGLU and MGS[Seamen’s]U. 34<br />
<strong>The</strong> Com<strong>in</strong>tern <strong>Files</strong> <strong>in</strong>cluded a Russian-language report, dated 6 August 1930, that made several<br />
observations. It lamented that <strong>the</strong> organizational situation had not changed quantitatively or<br />
qualitatively after <strong>the</strong> (<strong>Party</strong>) congress. It noted that a cl<strong>as</strong>s for native people w<strong>as</strong> organized <strong>in</strong><br />
Kuala Lumpur and that more than 40 people were arrested <strong>in</strong> S<strong>in</strong>gapore on 1 August. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
this report, <strong>the</strong> MCP’s monthly expenditure w<strong>as</strong> 300 dollars (110 for publisher; 50 each for<br />
propaganda, organiz<strong>in</strong>g and secretariat; 30 for communication, and 10 for activities among <strong>the</strong><br />
youth). Aga<strong>in</strong>st expenditure, <strong>the</strong> monthly revenue w<strong>as</strong> 200 dollars. As such, <strong>the</strong> party requested <strong>the</strong><br />
Com<strong>in</strong>tern to subsidize <strong>the</strong> deficit. 35<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r Russian-language report had a detailed table show<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> distribution by state (<strong>in</strong> Malaya)<br />
of <strong>the</strong> membership of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Party</strong> and <strong>the</strong> Labour Union <strong>as</strong> at 3 October 1930. This table w<strong>as</strong><br />
conta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> a Russian-language letter of 25 November 1930 which w<strong>as</strong> forwarded to <strong>the</strong><br />
Com<strong>in</strong>tern on 18 December 1930 by Victor (Виктор). 36 <strong>The</strong> letter may be summarized <strong>as</strong> follows:<br />
We decided to hold <strong>the</strong> Second CC conference (sic) on 12 October. <strong>The</strong> situation<br />
h<strong>as</strong> improved s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> <strong>Party</strong> congress. <strong>The</strong> number of [members <strong>in</strong>] <strong>the</strong> <strong>Party</strong> and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Red LU h<strong>as</strong> <strong>in</strong>cre<strong>as</strong>ed to 1,220 and 6,000 respectively. <strong>The</strong> <strong>in</strong>fluence of <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Party</strong> among <strong>the</strong> m<strong>as</strong>ses began to <strong>in</strong>cre<strong>as</strong>e. <strong>The</strong> m<strong>as</strong>ses are wait<strong>in</strong>g for our<br />
<strong>in</strong>struction. <strong>The</strong> Anti-Imperialist League (AIL) h<strong>as</strong> a membership of more than 100.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Conference decided to enroll many Malays and Indians <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> organizations,<br />
appo<strong>in</strong>t a Malay comrade <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> CC and elect 5 CC candidates (2 students, 3<br />
workers).<br />
One day before <strong>the</strong> memorial day of <strong>the</strong> October Revolution, many lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
members were arrested. None<strong>the</strong>less, more than 1,000 people, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g 20 Malays<br />
44