British Troops On Alert In Borneo

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 13

British Troops On Alert In Borneo

(NZ.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright)

BRUNEI TOWN, January 28.

British paratroopers have been sent into jungle areas of Borneo territories because of reports that Russian-armed Indonesian “volunteers” had been seen near the borders with North Borneo and Sarawak. Military sources said today the men of the Special Air Services Regiment had been flown in from Singapore. All British troops in the Borneo territories—the Sultanate of Brunei, Sarawak and North Borneo—had been placed on “alert standby” in the face of “critical statements” from Indonesia.

The moves were seen as precautions against renewed trouble in Brunei, where British troops flew from Singapore last December 8 to quell an armed revolt against the plan to unite Brunei with Sarawak and North Borneo in a Malaysian Federation with Malaya and Singapore.

Backing the regular forces are irregulars led by Mr Tom Harrison, curator of the Sarawak Museum, who was a war-time guerrilla leader in Borneo against the Japanese. The sources said the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry would soon be moving from Malaya to relieve the Queen’s Own Highlanders in Seri*. In Singapore, a spokesman tor the British Far East Land Force* declined to comment on London report* that 2000 troops were on a 72-hour alert to move to the Far East. The spokesman said the Army in Singapore was aware that the troops were on alert, but did not know tor what purpose. The spokesman said the relief of two units serving in Brunei by Singapore-based units had been planned for some time, and would soon be effected. The spokesman declined to identify the units involved in the change. The spokesman said he could confirm that • detachment of the Special Air Service Regiment had been sent to Brunei.

However, the spokeaman said, the paratroopers were being used in an infantry role, and had not been parachuted into the jungle*. ‘They have, of course, the capability for parachute work, but they have not been used in that role to date,” he Mid.

He declined to give details of deployment of the various units, and would not comment on reports that all British troops in the Borneo territories had beerf placed on “alert standby” in the face of “critical statements from Indonesia.” He declined to comment on reports of the pretence of Indonesian “volunteers" in the areas where Indonesian Borneo adjoins North Borneo and Sarawak.

The spokesman said no troop movements involving personnel in Malaya, Singapore and Borneo territories were envisaged which were not envisaged a week ago. “The deployment of the detachment of the Special Air Service Regiment is not * result of any sudden development in the area—it baa been planned tor some time,” the spokesman Mid. A police spokesman tn Brunei Town Mid todav that Haji Arahad, a top Brunei rebel leader for whom arrest a reward of 9000 Malayan dollar* had been offered, had

am tended to security force* in the Limbang area of northern Sarawak. Limbang was

the scene of fierce fighting early last month when Royal Marine commandos stormed ashore from river craft to capture the town, which is the headquarters of Sarawak’s Fifth Division. President Soekarno of Indonesia, in a broadcast over Radio Djakarta last December 19 called on the Indonesian people to support the rebels and said those who did not were traitors to their own souls. He said Indonesia had pledged her sympathy to the people of North Borneo. “Therefore let us now go on ... ” he said. An Indonesian Government statement said that “cruel acts by British troops and Malayan police” trying to defeat the “freedom fighters" in North Borneo were a “serious danger to Indonesia.” A statement issued for an association of Indonesian

Army veterans said on December 27 thst a total of 33000 veterans living in Indonesian Borneo had volunteered to fight on the aide of the rebels in Brunei and were awaiting Government orders to go into action. A British military spokesman said in Brunei Town on January 9 that rebels were still at large in “disorganised groups." Security forces were penetrating the jungle in search of rebels remnants and providing relief for isolated rural communities. The Associated Press reported from Brunei Town that the Government radio said yesterday Brunel was still undecided about joining Malaysia. “No firm decision had been taken in view of the great importance of the issue," It said.