Singapore’s Defence Policy

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31880, 7 January 1969, Page 1

Singapore’s Defence Policy

Singapore was building up an army that would hit hard if it was necessary to hit, said Singapore’s Minister of Finance (Dr Goh Keng Swee) in an interview in Christchurch yesterday.

In preparation for the period after 1971, when Britain had withdrawn, Singapore was planning to “go it alone,” Dr Goh said.

Since he became Singapore's first Defence Minister! in 1965, the Singapore Army: had been modelled by Israeli: advisers, 23 of whom were at! present in Singapore. Asked about the Sabah issue between Malaysia and the Philippines, he said: “A lot of political posturing goes on from time to time” Dr Goh said both the Singapore and Malaysian governments understood that they must have a common defence policy. On the Sabah issue Singapore had come out

openly on the side of Malaysia. Beyond this, he said, he

did not want to comment, beI cause the Philippines was very sensitive on such mat-

ters. The Sabah issue was not very serious. Rather, it was more “surface.”

Dr Goh said he did not think the Communist Chinese Army planned to sweep down to Singapore. The Chinese had more effective ways of extending their influence. In Vietnam they had encouraged and brought about internal insurrection, a highly efficient method of extending their influence.

“You have 500,000 troops of the most powerful nation in the world and they cannot ‘clobber’ these chaps,” said Dr Goh. “I would say that was a pretty good dividend.”

' If a country had a corrupt, oppressive government it had everything to worry about from the Communists. But if a country had a good government, it had nothing to worry about. Singapore, he said, was preparing for all eventualities after the British withdrawal. It was spending about 10 per cent of the gross national product on defence. One hoped

that Singapore would have strong allies who would reduce the need to spend so much on defence, but one could never be too sure on these matters. Singapore was not worried about the defence future after Britain’s withdraw!. It had plenty of teeth, said Dr Goh. The Singapore Government would welcome New Zealand troops or military representation in Singapore. He thought they would be a stab ilising force in that part of the world. The Communist threat inside and outside Singapore was pretty serious from 1960 to 1963. The Communists had been beaten in the open political fighting and were in total disarray at the moment, but he would not write them off completely, he said. Their underground organisation was intact.

The best method to deal with Communist insurrection, Dr Goh said, was by enlightened, democratic government in the hope of a better living for the people.