Hari ini dalam tahun 1947: 9 November

PUTERA-AMCJA tubuhkan biro berita di London

Hari ini dalam tahun 1947, Pusat Tenaga Rakyat dan All-Malaya Council of Joint Action (PUTERA-AMCJA) telah menubuhkan sebuah biro berita di London di bawah pentadbiran wakil mereka di sana, Lim Hong Bee. Berikut merupakan artikel dari akhbar The Straits Echo bertarikh 10 November 1947 yang melaporkan penubuhan biro tersebut.


MALAYAN AFFAIRS BUREAU SET UP IN LONDON
Queen's Scholar is Director

Kuala Lumpur, Nov 9 – Putera and the All-Malaya Council of Joint Action, in a press statement, yesterday announced that a News and Information Bureau on Malayan Affairs has been set up in London under the direction of a representative of Putera and AMCJA in London, Mr. Lim Hong Bee.

The statement goes on to say: Mr. Lim Hong Bee, a Queen’s Scholar, who is now in London completing his law studies, is well known to the democratic movement in Malaya as one of the founders and first general secretary of the Malayan Democratic Union. He recently represented the people of Malaya at the International Human Rights Conference in London.

The News and Information Bureau has already set up news and information service on Malayan Affairs and is producing a regular Malayan newsletter, the first issue of which was scheduled to appear last week.

The Bureau has also distributed a large number of copies of the People’s Constitutional Proposals drafted by Putera and AMCJA to M.P.’s, progressive associations, leading English newspapers, the Colonial Office and others.

In his lates report to Putera and AMCJA, Mr. Lim Hong Bee states that letters requesting copies of the People’s Constitutional Proposals are pouring in on every hand, while those to whom copies have been given are asking for more.

Powerful Impression

Request for copies of the People’s Constitution, writes Mr. Lim Hong Bee, have also been received from European countries and from the United States.

Mr. Lim Hong Bee also says in his latest report that the success of the hartal created a powerful impression in London.

The London Times, he says, described the city of Singapore on Hartal Day as an impressive spectacle of miles of shuttered shops and empty streets.

The statement went on to say that it will be of interest to the people of Malaya as an exposure of anti-British propaganda, which is being used against Putera and AMCJA, that among those working in London are several Englishmen. They include Mr. Neill Steward, author, Major John Eyre, and his wife, Joan Eyre, Mr. S. H. Cox, Mr. John Dowding and Dr. E. Montussohi, M.D.

All of them, except Mr. Neill Steward, are well known to democrats in Malaya; as they were stationed here with the British armed services for lengthy periods during the past two years.

These British democrats studies Malayan conditions at first hand and their readiness to participate in establishing of the News and Information Bureau on Malayan Affairs in London under the direction of the Putera and AMCJA representative is very significant.

It proves that these British democrats agree that the policy of Putera and AMCJA on the Malayan constitutional issue is in the best interests not only of the people of Malaya but also of the people of Britain. It also shows that there are many Britishers who wholeheartedly support the campaign on the constitutional issue which is being directed by Putera and AMCJA as being in the best traditions of British militant democracy.

Other Functions

Another function of the London News and Information Bureau will be to maintain constant and close contact with M.P.’s, progressive associations, trade unions and newspapers in England in order that they may keep the truth about Malaya and Malayan condition always before the eyes of the British people.

“We, therefore request all political and other organisations, all trade unions, etc., to send us information about their activities and other relevant news in order that we may relay this information to our London representative, Mr. Lim Hong Bee, who would in particular, like to have journals statements and other publications of Malayan associations,” the statement concluded.

All documentary and other material intended for London should be addressed to the General Secretary, Putera and All-Malaya Council of Joint Action, 59 Klyne Street, Kuala Lumpur.


Sumber: Akhbar The Straits Echo, 10 Nov 1947