Lee Challenges Malays

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30762, 28 May 1965, Page 11

Lee Challenges Malays

(N Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) KUALA LUMPUR, May 27.

Singapore’s Premier (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) today challenged the Malaysian Federal Government to state openly if it believed him an enemy of the people and the nation.

Singapore had no intention of seceding from the Federation of Malaysia, Mr Lee told the Federal Parliament in Kuala Lumpur. He was speaking on a formal motion of thanks to the King of Malaysia for his speech to Parliament last Tuesday in which he set out the Malaysian Government’s policy for the coming year.

Mr Lee told the House that if Malay nationalists carried out their threats of joining Indonesia, Singapore had alternatives and would not be found unprepared. In his speech, the King said Malaysia was facing a great

threat to its security from Indonesia and from an unnamed quarter within. Mr Lee said today he was driven to the conclusion that possibly the unnamed threat within was himself and the opposition Front Party.

Mr Lee moved an amendment which would add to the formal motion of thanks the regret of the House that the King’s speech “did not reassure the nation that Malay-

sia would continue to progress, in accordance with the deme/ cratic constitution, towards a Malaysian Malaysia . . .” “I can give the Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) firm assurance that we have a vested interest in loyalty and constitutionalism, because we know if we are patient and firm a Malaysian Malaysia must emerge,” Mr Lee said. “We have not the slightest intention of secession.”