“Louw Obstinate At London”-Tunku

Press, Issue 29236, 21 June 1960, Page 15

“Louw Obstinate At London”-Tunku

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20.

The attitude of Mr Eric Louw, South Africa’s Foreign Minister, during the discussions on his country’s apartheid policy had been one of “obstinacy and non-co-operation,*’ the Malayan Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, said today.

The Tunku was reporting to Parliament on the May meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers in London. He said: “I told Louw, ’You are pursuing a policy of racial domination in your country and racial discrimination in dealing with non-white countries of the Commonwealth’.” The Tunku said he had made clear that Malaya believed in the Commonwealth as an organisation which stood for the best in mankind.

The Tunku said he had gone to London with a mandate from his Parliament and the whole world expected the apartheid issue to be discussed at the conference. He said: “This matter had to be discussed somewhere, somehow, sooner or later.

“It was not my intention to interfere in affairs which were domestic issues of another country. but what happened in South Africa had gone beyond the barriers of domesticity and shocked the world.” The Tunku said that that if South Africa continued with her policy of white supremacy, this always would be a cause of suspicion to Malaya. The Tunku said it was suggested at the conference that the South African question should be discussed informally, and he was quite prepared to accept this. He said: “The South African representative you probably have come to know the nature of the man—seemed to be rather obstinate about discussing this matter.

“This was what he said: ’After all, the policy of South Africa has been a long standing one, with no change since the time of General Smuts’. . .”

The Tunku said there Was no

unanimity on the question and the meeting split into two groups. He, with representatives of India. Pakistan, Ghana. Australia, and New Zealand, had adjourned for informal discussions with Mr Louw.

’ The Tunku then gave an account of the meeting, referring to a copy of the official record. The Tunku said: "Mr Louw started by explaining how much the Union was doing for the good of the Bantu people. They were being given land, houses, and other amenities. “He went on to talk about what South Africa was trying to do for the Bantu people.” The Tunku said when he asked about the dignity of the people. Mr Louw had replied: “That is nothing to do with us.”