 Following the murder of three European planters in the State of Perak and proclamation of the state of emergency on 16 June 1948, the British administration had finally banned the Malayan Communist Party on 23 June 1948.Many party members were arrested and top party leaders went into hiding in the jungle to avoid arrest.The Malayan People's Anti-British Army (MPABA) was formed to fight the British in Malaya.