R. G. Balan

Malaysian communist (born 1921)

R. G. Balan (born 22 November 1921, date of death unknown) was of the Malayan Peoples' Anti-Japanese Army. He worked underground in Tapah-Kampar area as a Communist Party of Malaya's Tamil publicist during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.^[1] He was a close friend with Abdullah CD and Suriani Abdullah, whom both of them were also active members of Communist Party of Malaya.

Personal life

Balan was born Raja Gopal in Nova Scotia Estate, Teluk Intan on 22 November 1921, to a Ceylonese father and an Indian mother.^[2]

Balan had a son, Gunallan. His mother was V. Sinnathayamma. He had a brother, Thirunoyam and a sister, Suppammal. His father died in 1958.^[3]

R. G. Balan died prior to February 2002.^[4]

Involvement in politics

In 1947, R.G Balan, along with Rashid Maidin and Wu Tien Wang, attended the Communist Parties Conference of Commonwealth Nations in London, as representatives of the Communist Party in Malaya. After his return, he organised the Perak Rubber Labourers Union. R.G. Balan remained as a labour organiser until he was detained without trial by the colonial authority on 30 May 1948 and not released until 1961.^[5]

In 1955, while he was under detention, R.G. Balan was appointed a vice chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Malaya. They first met R.G. Balan in Ipoh immediately after the war had ended, when most of the underground party members emerged as victors of the Pacific War in Malaya.

References

^ "CLARE STREET: Abdullah C.D., Suriani remember R.G. Balan". Jameswonwingon-online.blogspot.my.
^ "Dr Cheah Boon Kheng Interview with R.G. Balan - Memoir of R Balan, Vice-President of the Malayan Communist Party". Malaya S.A. Ganapathy. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
^ "Malaya S. A. Ganapathy: R.G BALAN - the Political Head of Indian Section of CPM". Archived from the original on 2016-03-16. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
^ "Dr M, CPM and reconciliations". Malaysia Kini. 20 February 2002. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
^ "Malaya S. A. Ganapathy: R.G Balan Released from Sungai Petani Detention Camp After 12 Years - 23rd June 1960". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-09-05.

Communism in Malaysia and Singapore

Wars and incidents

Wars

Malayan campaign
Vietnam War
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
Communist insurgency
- Sarawak
- Malaysia (1968-1989)
- Thailand

Malayan Emergency	Background & causes Briggs Plan New village Special Operations Volunteer Force Commonwealth Military Involvement Southern Rhodesia Australia New Zealand

Incidents

Organisations

Key people

Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore	Chin Peng Abdullah CD Lai Teck Shamsiah Fakeh Ahmad Boestamam Rashid Maidin Mokhtaruddin Lasso Kamarulzaman Teh Abu Samah Mohd Kassim Musa Ahmad Ibrahim Chik S. A. Ganapathy Suriani Abdullah Lau Yew Lee Meng Chen Tien Yeung Kwo Fong Chong Pik Eu Chooi Yip Lim Chin Siong Wahi Annuar Mat Indera R. G. Balan P. Veerasenan Devan Nair
Malaysian Borneo	Bong Kee Chok Yang Chu Chung Wen Ming Chyuan Yap Choon Hau Lam Wah Kwai Ang Chu Ting Wong Lieng Kui Cheung Ah Wah