Malaysia Calls For Defence Meeting

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31583, 22 January 1968, Page 11

Malaysia Calls For Defence Meeting

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) KUALA LUMPUR, January 21. The Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, has written to Australia, New Zealand, Britain, and Singapore seeking a meeting to discuss the implications of Britain’s 1971 Far East withdrawal plans, his deputy, Tun Abdul Razak, said today.

No date had been suggested, as it was felt this should be mutually agreed on by the Governments concerned, Tun Razak said.

He was speaking to the press after a golf game with Singapore’s Finance Minister, Dr Goh Keng Swee, who arrived unexpectedly yesterday for the first high-level meeting on defence matters between the two countries since Britain first announced her intention to withdraw from the region last July. Tun Razak and Dr Goh confirmed this morning that their two Governments would now conduct a series of discussions over the next few months to work out the implications of the accelerated British withdrawal plans on their mutual defence. Dr Goh reported yesterday to the Prime Minister and his deputy on the discussions he and the Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew, had in London last week with the British Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. British Promises

Mr Lee had invited Malaysia to send someone with him, but this was rejected by the Tunku partly because Malaysia felt there was no likelihood of substantially chang-

ing Britain’s mind and partly, he indicated, because he felt Singapore should have made contact with Malaysia on the matter before then. When the Singapore Prime Minister returned from defence talks in London, he said the British Government had promised to give maximum assistance and adjust its military withdrawal to ensure no hiatus in Singapore's defence. Mr Lee told the press on his arrival: “There will be no gap after the British forces leave here on December 31. 1971." Although there had been much chopping and changing, there would be no hiatus if the British kept to the new programme. Mr Lee said that Britain had promised to give Singapore the master radar control and reporting system at present on the island. Mr Lee said that a qualified I staff, on contract or other-1 wise, would be available tooperate the radar complex and to train local personnel in its use. “I think we will be able Ito take over in about two years.” He said there had been some discussion in London on the merits of various sur-face-to-air missiles. The choice had been between the Bloodhounds and the Rapier, Mr Lee said.

“We went for both,” Mr Lee said. Mr Lee said that Britain had indicated that the squadron of Hawker Hunter Mark IV aircraft at present stationed in Singapore would be available for an air defence system.

Mr Lee said that pilot training would start immediately and he hoped that selection of men had already begun. He said that Singapore pilots would be trained both in Britain and in Singapore. _Mr Lee said Singapore also needed two missile-carrying ships and some naval staff officers. Asked about secondment of British personnel, Mr Lee said that this had been agreed in principle.