In 1948, just before the Emergency, The Communist Party in Malaya issued a secret instruction that the party should take control of progressive mass institutions like trade unions, youth and women’s organisations and place them under the direct leadership of the party. Efforts were to be intensified through Communist-controlled trade unions to create labour unrest. Then labour unions could be strengthened as they could be the communists’ strongest weapon (Comber 2015, p. 163). Narayanan proved to be a major stumbling block to their aspirations.