I firmly believe that [James Puthucheary] was a true Nationalist, totally committed to an independent Malaya which includes Singapore and not a communist or a terrorist.
Teo Soh Lung, 2018
On this day and in the weeks that followed, more than 133 people were arrested and detained without trial. the Internal Security Council Statement including a paper outlining the “Communist Conspiracy.”
At the time James’ arrest, Bogaars from special branch appeared with two others at the house in Marang Road in the middle of the night with guns. Bogaars tried to be nice and give Mavis and James some time together. While they waited, James asked Amah ( the family domestic helper who stayed for 25 years before returning to China) to make coffee. Amah grumbled. Why should I when they have come to arrest you. She did make the coffee grumbling away!
James appeared at the house on 3rd February morning to tell Mavis that he was being sent to Kuala Lumpur.
“Why was I arrested? I really don’t know. Chin Siong asked me to join Barisan Sosialis and take an active part. I said, ‘No don’t put all your eggs in one basket.’ Special Branch thought this was a very cryptic remark and they wanted to decipher what was meant by it. They must have thought this was suggesting that I was waiting in the wings to take over Barisan Sosialis.”
According to the list drawn up Singapore Special Branch for the Internal Security Council, James was a ‘Communist Sympathiser’. Furthermore they note that he is a “skilled Marxist thereotician…. who is likely to know the way members of the Singapore Government and the United Kingdom Commission will act on particular political issues.” Furthermore they note that James has “not involved himself openly in Communist United Front activities” and apart from his close association with Lim Chin Siong as his “sounding board” on tactics, no other evidence of communist activities was adduced to support their charge.
“Apparently the British argued against my arrest, according to the British Special Branch officers. Philip Morris [link to report] who was no. 2 I think at that time, was a great man who fought very hard against my arrest. Viscount Head and his wife Dorothea told me this.” Lord Anthony Head replaced Lord Selkirk and became the first British High Commissioner to Malaysia.
“Lord Selkirk sent me a message saying as soon as merger was effected, I would be released. I had to wait a bit more.”
“When Harry came to see me here [in Kuala Lumpur] in jail, I said to Harry, ‘Harry, why have I have been arrested?’. And Harry said, ‘Well, you didn’t wear my jersey. In the cross-fire of fighting you got shot!’ With a little quarrel I said, ‘You know I am only my own man, I don’t wear anybody’s jersey.’ And we had an argument.”
P J Thum has written an interesting article on “Singapore’s ‘Progressive Left’, Operation Cold Store and the Creation of Malaysia.”