The Malaysians—I EXTERNAL THREATS TO MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31041, 22 April 1966, Page 10

The Malaysians—I EXTERNAL THREATS TO MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE

o reporter of ”Th« Press” who on the inaupural fi.pht 0/

The monev being poured into Malaysia by outside countries is nrimarilv to enable Malaysians to defend themselves against ideologically hostile neighbours. The latest financial aid is 100 million Malayan dollars (nearly £lB million), promised this month by Japan. The nearest and most direct threat to Malaysia (population 8 million) is the confrontation by Indonesia (100 million). The Malaysian Minis er of Finance ?Mr Tan Siew Sin) said this month that his country was spending about 750.000 dollars (£90,000) a day as a result of the confrontation.

Mr Tan said that this money, about half Malaysia’s daily' expenditure. would build 4000 new schools in Malaysia in a year. The Indonesian threat is very close at hand, but not much further away is the war in South Vietnam: and beyond South Vietnam are North Vietnam and Communist China. The shadow of China hangs over Cambodia. Laos and Thailand, Malaysia's northern neighbours. To the South is Singapore, with a population 80 per cent Chinese. The containment of China, rather than the Indonesian confrontation, is the main motive for the outside assistance to Malaysia. Defence Budgets Malaysia, anxious to raise the standard of education and living of its peoples—Malay. Chinese and Indian —is forced to spend 25 per cent of its total annual expenditure on its armed services. In 1962, before Indonesian aggression, Malaysia spent 201 m dollars, or 15 per cent of its total expenditure on defence and internal security. In 1963, the defence expenditure had risen to 17 per cent of the total expenditure; in 1964 it was 21 per cent, and last year it reached 25 per cent. Defence expenditure last year was 589 million dollars (£69 million). Already this year, with the withdrawal of Singapore from the federation, Malaysia is spending at least half its total expenditure on defence and internal security, according to Mr Tan. Until this year, Malaysia has spent a much smaller percentage of its budget on defence than Indonesia, which is now plunged in economic chaos. Indonesia’s huge military expenditure, therefore, may be considered as the prime reason for the overthrow, or semi-deposition, of Dr. Sukarno. Malaysians now hope that increasing awareness of the cost of confrontation in Indonesia will lead to a moderation of this policy. However, events in South Vietnam indicate that Malaysia will have to spend as much as, if not more than, at present on defence. The Malaysian Army consists of nine battalions—eight fully trained and equipped, and a ninth now being raised. The battalions comprise the Royal Malay Regiment, which was started 32 years ago as an experimental company at Port Dickson. The first and second battalions served in

the 1941-42 Malayan campaign of the Second World War. Six more battalions were formed during the Emergency in Malaya, which ended when the British declared it an independent country. At present, battalions of the Royal Malay Regiment are serving in Borneo and other parts of Malaysia, with British, Gurkha. Australian and New Zealand soldiers. A

tenth Malay battalion is to be raised, and it is hoped that indigenous races of Sarawak and Sabah will serve in the ninth and tenth battalions. Other Units Men from Sarawak and Sabah are already serving in the First and Second Battalions of the Malaysia Rangers, raised, trained and equipped by the British Army and handed over to Malaysia for operational duties last October. A third battalion is being raised. The Malaysian Army also has two battalions of the Malaysian Reconnaisance Corps, and there are two battalions of the Singapore Infantry Regiment, now maintained by Singapore following its separation from the federation and becoming a republic. The battalions are for the defence of both Malaysia and the Republic. Since the Indonesian confrontation, the Royal Malaysian Air Force has been doubled in size. The Air Force has been trained by seconded British and Commonwealth officers. ’ The force provides air support for the Army and police, including the use of helicopters, in security operations. The Air Force is being equipped with jet strike aircraft. For this purpose, there are pilot training schemes in Britain, Canada and New Zealand. It is hoped to double the size of the Royal Malaysian Air Force again within the next two years.

The Royal Malaysian Navy is continuing to use the Singapore Navy base, by agreement with the, Republic of Singapore. The Navy comprises a modern frigate, patrol craft, minesweepers and landing craft. Fast patrol boats are joining the fleet, and more are on order. Malaysia has a long coast line and West Malaysia (the oeninsular state of Malaval

and East Malaysia (the Borneo states) are separated by sea. Her Navy has the support of vessels from the British, Australian and New Zealand Navies. Singapore Lagging It is thus clear that Malaysia, although perforce seeking outside assistance in the face of confrontation by Indonesia, is not slacking in providing her own defence forces. In this respect, Malaysia is doing much more, proportionately, than Singapore. The British have recently made it clear that they will not continue to make the large yearly expenditure required to maintain the naval dockyards and other military installations on Singapore unless the republic contributes financially towards their upkeep. Neither Malaysia's Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) nor Singapore's (Mr Lee Kwan Yew) thinks it politic to have large regular forces. Events in other newly-formed or newly-inde-pendent countries have demonstrated the vulnerability of Governments to coups by large armed forces. Nevertheless, the Commonwealth countries which are assisting to keep stability in Malaysia and Singapore in the face of ideological threats, terrorism, and infiltration by both political and military groups, are entitled to expect the countries to pay substantially towards the cost of keeping the status quo.