OPPOSITION TO MALAYSIA

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30055, 13 February 1963, Page 13

OPPOSITION TO MALAYSIA

Indonesia Arouses Concern In Malaya (N -Z.P .A.-Reuter—Copyright) KUALA LUMPUR, February 12. The Malayan Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) today described a formal declaration of Indonesian opposition to the proposed Federation of Malaysia as “a very serious matter,” the newspaper, “Malay Mail”, reported. The newspaper said that the Prime Minister told one of its reporters: “The matter is very serious and I cannot speak off-hand without consulting the Cabinet. “This matter concerns the lives of the Malayan people and could endanger the peace, happiness and security of the nation,” the Prime Minister said.

The Tunku was commenting on a formal declaration of Indonesian opposition to Malaysia made in Djakarta yesterday by the Indonesian foreign Minister (Dr. Subandrio). The Malayan Cabinet, which will meet tomorrow, is expected to take a "serious view” of Indonesia’s official opposition to the Malaysia plan, an authoritative source today said. The acting secretarygeneral of the ruling United Malays National Organisation, Syed Ja-Afra Albar, today said that Malaya would not hesitate to support an internal uprising in Indonesia if it was to restore democracy in that country. Syed Ja-Afar Albar described Dr. Subandrio’s press conference as the “most malicious statement yet” and called the Indonesian Foreign Minister the “arch-enemy of Malaysia and Malaya.” It was simply “malicious” for Dr. Subandrio to say that T aku Abdul Rahman had wanted to grab Sumatra during the 1957 rebellion. Assurance To Lee The Singapore Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) said today that Dr. Subandrio had assured him recently that Indonesia was not opposed to the proposed Federation of Malaysia "as such.” At a meeting in Singapore on February 4, Dr. Subandrio had said Indonesia’s opposition was to “certain attitudes and circumstances which he feared might be carried into Malaysia.” Mr Lee was speaking at a press conference which he called to comment on a reported statement by Dr. Subandrio yesterday, that Mr Lee “understands our (Indonesia’s) viewpoint.” "By this statement I presume Dr. Subandrio meant that be believed I understood his meaning when he out-

lined his thoughts,” Mr Lee said. “I told Dr. Subandrio that if Indonesian opposition was directed against Malaysia as such, then the difficulties could not be resolved. “I also said Singapore was with the Federation of Malaya Government on Malaysia, and we would stand solidly with the people of the Federation and of the Borneo Territories, because we believed Malaysia to be in the interests of all our people.” Hundreds of Indonesian nationals living in Malaya are reported to have been told to prepare for “repatriation” in the event of a break in diplomatic relations between Malaya and Indonesia, according to usually reliable sources in Kuala Lumpur. There is, however, no official confirmation of this move by the Indonesian Embassy. Urgency In Talks The “Malay Mail” said the Tunku had urged that talks between Malayan representatives and delegates from the other partners in the proposed Federation of Malaysia be “speeded up.” The newspaper, quoting “an authoritative source,” said the Tunku had two reasons for wanting these talks

to be completed as soon as possible. These were: To enable the Tunku to go to London next month or early in April for the final phase of the Malaysia talks, and to frustrate attempts to wreck the Malaysia plan. The newspaper quoted the source as saying: “As a result of the Tunku’s wish, the Brunei, Singapore and Malayan delegations are now working - doubly, hard to bring their talks to a successful conclusion.” The Singapore and Brunei delegations are having separate meetings with Malayan delegations to settle final details of the conditions governing entry into Malaysia. Talks have been going on for some months between British, Malaya, Sarawak and North Borneo Government representatives to settle the final terms, of entry for the two British colonies. Indonesia seemed intent on “frightening everybody to death,” the “Straits Times” said today in-Kuala Lumpur In an editorial, the newspaper said: “It is sheerest fantasy for Indonesia to pretend alarm at Malayan hostility to begin with, there isn’t any. “There will be no physical conflict along the borders of Borneo, nor anywhere else in Malaysia, unless Indonesia starts an undeclared war. “The only reason for Indonesian opposition to Malaysia which makes sense is greed for territory which is not Indonesia’s. And this is a reason for completing the creation of Malaysia as quickly as possible,” the “Straits Times” said.