“I see no sense in being put in detention time after time on the ground that I am alleged to be a Communist or am sympathetic to Communism. I am neither. In fact, I am opposed to it. I made my position clear in the document published as an appendix to the book ‘Battle for Merger‘. In this I said that the Communists inside and outside the open organisations have to be fought.”
“Not to fight them would be to abdicate the right to help the country to solve her political and economic problems, to watch helplessly as the country moved to a civil war. I stand by this position and repeat that I want nothing more to do with Communism to which I am opposed. I believe that Communist infiltration of trade unions and social democratic parties has contributed to their weakening and led to the continuation of emergency powers.”
“At the time of the Hungarian revolt and in other ways they have shown that Communism is a denial of personal freedom about which I am much concerned. I desire the most free and genuinely democratic society it is possible to have. I support Malaysia and would like to see it develop along such lines.”
“But for me the only sensible thing to do is to go right out of all political and trade union activity and stay out, and this I intend to do.
A Government statement annoucing James’ release said: “The Minister has considered the order against Mr. Puthucheary and he agrees with the recommendation of the police that he is no longer a security threat to this country. He has therefore ordered that he be released on the usual conditions.”