Malayan Emergency

Malayan emergency was an insurrection and guerilla war of Malay Races Liberation Army in Malay in 1948-1960.

Malay Races Liberation Army (MRLA in this text) was a creation of Malayan Communist Party (MCP) and by extension lead and dominated by ethnic Chinese communists. It was also a successor of Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army (MPAJA) that British had trained and equipped in the [[World War Two]}. MCP had been legalized after the war. They had stored most of the weapons for later use.

MCP disagreed with the British idea of Malayan Federation because there seemed to be no direct way to communism. Party’s new leader Ching Peng decided to set the revolution rolling.

In June 16 1948 MRLA guerillas killed three British rubber planters. British declared a State of Emergency. The enemy was named CT – Communist Terrorists. Despite of the term “emergency” it was a full-scale guerilla war between MRLA and British and Malayan authorities. MRLA tortured and killed dozens of British and Malay civilians (including children), ambushed soldiers, sabotaged installations, attacked slightly defended rubber farms and destroyed transportation in a deliberate terror campaign. 400 civilians died in the first year.

Support of the MRLA was mainly based on about 500.000 ethnic Chinese (there were 3.12 million Chinese in total) and Malay population at large did not support them. Chinese had no franchise in elections, no land rights to speak of and were usually very poor. MRLA called their agents within the Chinese population as Min Yuen.

MRLA had its hideouts in the rather inaccessible jungle. Most of them were Chinese with some Malays and Indonesians. They were organized into communist political regiments with political sections, commissars, instructors and secret service. They also had lectures about Marxism-Leninism and political newspapers. MRLA included many women and soldiers had to get official permission for romance.

Abroad, beginning Korean War eclipsed the developing conflict. Part of the British attempt of solution was the so-called Brigg’s plan that meant resettlement of people – especially 400.000 Chinese - living in jungle areas to relative safety of new, partially fortified villages. People resented that but some became content of better living standards in the villages. They were given money and ownership of the land they lived in.

British also brought in soldiers from units like Worchester regiment and Highlander Marines. One side effect was a re-creation of Special Air Service as a jungle commando unit in 1950.

In 1951 some British army units begun hearts and minds campaign by giving medical and food aid to Malays and indigenous Sakai tribes. At the same time, they put pressure on MRLA by patrolling the jungle. Units like SAS, Royal Marines and Gurkha Regiment drove MRLA guerillas deeper into the jungle and denied them resources. MRLA had to extort food from Sakai and earn their enmity. Many of the captured guerillas changed sides. In turn, MRLA never released any Britons alive.

In the end there was about 35.000 British and 100.000 Malay troops against maybe up to 80.000 communist guerillas.

In October 7 1951 MRLA ambushed and killed British High Commissioner Sir Henry Gurney. Gurney’s successor Lieutenant-General Gerald Templer pushed through measures to give ethnic Chinese residents a right to vote. He also continued the Brigg’s plan, installed Malay executives and speeded up formation of a Malayan army. His most important deal was a promise of independence once the insurrection was over. He also instituted financial rewards for detecting guerillas and expanded intelligence gathering.

Australia was also willing to send troops to help a SEATO ally and Australian troops arrived in 1955. Ching Peng failed to come into agreement with the Malayan leaders in Baling in 1955.

Malaya became independent August 31 1957, Tunku Abdul Rahman as a head of state. Insurrection lost its excuse as a war of colonial liberation. Last fighting MRLA guerillas surrendered in Telok Anson marsh area in 1958. Rest fled to Thai border and further east.

In July 31 1960 Malayan government declared that the Emergency was over. Ching Peng fled to China. Casualty figures rose to thousands.