Butterworth air base to be focal point

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32531, 15 February 1971, Page 2

Butterworth air base to be focal point

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

SINGAPORE, February 14

The Butterworth air base in Malaysia will become the focal point for air defence of the Malaysia-Singapore region later this year, the Associated Press has reported.

When the base is . fully operational it will be staffed by airmen from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Malay sia. and Singapore.

A Far East Command spokesman said yesterday that the base would assume responsibility for air defence of Malaysia and Singapore about the third quarter of this year. By then, a formal five-Power arrangement will replace the present Anglo Malaysian Defence Treaty. Civil and military leaders from the five Power nations met at Butterworth on Wednesday last, officially, establishing the headquarters of a combined integrated airdefence system there. The spokesman said that

the air-defence planning team under Air Vice-Marshal R. T. Susans, of Australia, had been meeting at Butterworth, 400 miles north of Singapore, since November so that the Malaysian air base could gradually become the operational air headquarters for the area.

“They have been deciding what people are needed and what country they should come from. They are now starting to put men in,” the spokesman said. The Butterworth meeting on Wednesday was chaired by Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burnett, who as British Far-East commander remains responsible for regional defence.