Nanking, May 10, Numerous petitions have been received by the Overseas Affairs Comtnission from Chinese communities In ihe Federated Malay States requesting the rendering by the Government of urgent assistance to Chinese busi-tess there, It was learned here to-day.
Unless help is forthcoming from the Government, the petitions unanimously pointed out, overseas Chines" business interests In the Malay slates may drop to nil before long.
It was explained in the reports that Chinese business there has been rapidly going downhill during the past few years as a result of econocaic and political pressure from all sides, The main dangers to Chinese interests, the petitions emphasized, lave come from the Japanese who have been fast expanding their scope of business, and from Arabs and na ive Malayans who have been paying greater attention to the development of retail trade which hitherto. has "een dominated by the Chinese.
Recently under the encouragement of the British authorities, the reports added, large number operative stores have been organized, which to-day number more than 280 with membership of over 10,000 and oral capitalization of $5. million 'The ce-operative movement, {was pointed out, aims at economic sel wMelency among the Malay communities, which naturally" would me their Independence from' the Chinese who for many decades have Played the important role of prine ipal tradesmen in the area,—Central News,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.