The Thondar Padai - The Volunteer Corp played a huge role in the labour strikes
in Kedah which is also known as “The Kedah Riot” in 1947. Armed police forces were
used to suppress the labour uprise. The Thondar Padai, under the leadership of A.M
Samy was well organised.
One of the strikes which involved Thondar Padai was
the Bedong Toddy Shop Protest, where it was reported widely that some 300 labourers
(including women and children) gathered in front of the toddy demanding it to
cease its operation. It was a peaceful demonstration as protester did not carry
any weapon with them.
Instead of resolving the matter amicably, the police
forces displayed huge brutality resulting in the death of a young man,
Swaminathan, who was bludgeoned to death.
Nine labourers were injured. Many were arrested and
sentenced to vigorous imprisonments.
Meantime, S.A Ganapathy demanded the release of the
labourers and threatened that a Malaya wide strike will be called if appeal to
release the arrested labourers fails.
Singapore Federation of Trade Union “strongly
condemned the action of the Government of the Malayan Union in using armed
police to break the strike and interfering with the peaceful picketing of toddy
shops” and requested the Government to release the arrested workers
unconditionally.
Morning Tribune – 7 March 1947
Malaya Wide Strike Fear
Demand for Release of Kedah Labourers
A general strike of all labourers throughout Malaya is
feared should an appeal against the conviction of 83 labourers in Kedah who
have been sentenced during the pas few days to various terms of imprisonment
for unlawful assembly fail.
Our Penang correspondent telegraphing just before
midnight stated that a meeting of labourers’ representatives in Kedah last
night decided to appeal in the case of those strikers who have been sentenced.
Should this fail, it is thought likely, says our correspondent
that an appeal will be made to all labourers in Malaya to support the case.
This carried the implication of general strike.
Mr. S.A. Ganapathy. Chairman of Pan Malayan Federation
of Trade Union saw Mr. J.T Rea, Deputy Commissioner for Labour, Kedah
yesterday. He said he was not satisfied with the latter’s opinion on the situation.
He had also spoken to representative of the labourers.
Two members of Kedah Federation of Trade Union Mr. A.M
Samy and Mr. Teoh Cheong Hoon asked Mt. J.T Rea yesterday whether it was legal
for people to strike. Mr Rea replied that the present trouble arose from the
lawless acts of youth voliunteer corps.
The United Kedah Planters’ Association yesterday
issued a statement to the press in which it says: Briefly the history of the
labour trouble in Kedah is one of political agitation by subversive elements coupled
with intimidation and tension.”
The Association believes that three prime requirements
and necessary before any attempt can be made to ameliorate the grave situation.
Firstly, order
must ne re-established and the laws of the country maintained.
Secondly, organized labour must free itself from
external dictations and organise from within to elect its own legal
representation.
In Singapore last night, the Singapore Federation of
Trade Unions, Short Street, issue the text of resolution put before a recent
meeting of president and general secretaries of branch unions of the Indian
section of the SFTU, one as which “strongly condemned this action of the
Government of the Malayan Union in using armed police to break the strike in
Kedah, and interfering with the peaceful picketing of toddy shops” and
requested the Government to release the arrested workers unconditionally.
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