N.Z. defence support

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 18

N.Z. defence support

By a staff water I New Zealanders had their 'first taste of service in the tropical jungle of Malaya 36 years ago. When the Japanese attacked the Malayan (Peninsula a few hours before the attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, a handful of New Zealand servicemen were in the area. They took part in the retreat down Malaya and the brief defence of Singapore as part of the much larger force i of British, Australian, Malayan, and Indian troops in ivolved. In more recent times, for more than 20 years, New; .Zealand has been involved in the defence of Malaya tyid Malaysia. In March, 1955, the then Prime Minister (Mr I Holland) told the New 1 .Zealan Parliament: "We must earn the sup-' ;port of Britain by pulling our weight. We have been in-i vited to form what you, might call a Cold War front' in Malaya, the idea being to I 'ensure that an enemy who] (wants to indulge in infiltration and subversion will be stopped before he gets | here.” Malaya, at that time still a British dependency, had been under a State of Emergency for seven years, fightpng a vicious little war against communist subversion i The Malayan peoples, with help from Britain, had born the brunt of the fighting, but !as Malaya approached inde■pendence it was decided that j other Commonwealth count- I Iries should help to ensure the security of the new I country. 1 i. New Zealand offered to ' 'join British and Australian i troops in a Commonwealth Strategic Reserve. A New (Zealand Special Air Service I Squadron wa sent to Malaya .in October. 1955. Shortly after Malaya's independence I in August. 1957. an infantry j battalion was sent from this country. A battalion, now I based in Singapore, has been I in the area ever since. The worst phase of the Malayan Emergency was over by the time the New Zealand servicemen were sent there. But in 1963, when the Federation of Malaysia was formed, the country found itself facing a new threat from President | Sukarno’s Indonesia. Sukarno announced a] policy of “Confrontation” I (which developed into a cam-i paign of "Crush Malaysia." 1 ' In 1964 New Zealand troops i : in Malaya were deployed on ■ the border with Thailand] (against the remaining com-] imunist insurgents to release] 'Malaysian troops for service] against the Indonesian threat | to East Malaysia. The Prime] Minister (Mr Holyoake) an-| nounced a new military aid' programme to help Malaysia; (train its troops and to build; up defence equipment. I At the height of the Con- 1

frontation threat there were: more than 1300 New Zealand; Htroops in Malaysia. In 19651 i they were used in rotation] • with British and Australian: > units against Indonesian in- ! filtrators in the East Mala-i • sian State of Sarawak. i Confrontation ended soon; I after the overthrow of! . Sukarno by his own armed] forces late in 1966. New; ■ Zealand troops remained in; ( the area and a new Five! ■Power Defence Agreement! was worked out in 1971 be- 1 tween Malaysia. Singapore) Britain, Australia, and New 1 Zealand. The five States agreed! ! that they would co-operate! closely in defence arrange-j Intents. The Five-Power agreement stated: "That in' ithe event of any form of! armed attack externally or-, iganised or supported, or the] threat of such attack against i Malaysia or Singapore, their Governments would immediI ately consult together for ithe purpose of deciding I what measures should be taken jointly or separately ] in relation to such attack or threat.” While New Zealand is not committed automatically to go to the assistance of Malaysia or Singapore, the continuing presence of New Zealand forces in the area makes it likely that New Zealand could become involved. Indeed, New Zealand now maintains larger forces in Malaysia and Singapore than do either Britain or Australia. The Ist Battalion. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, based in Singapore, exercises regularly in Ma- 1 laysia with Malaysian troops 1

and aircraft. No. 41 Squadron of the R.N.Z.A.F., based at Tengah in Singapore, also exercises regdlarly in Ma- : laysia. New Zealand servicemen i form part of the Integrated Air Defence System for the! region, based in Malaysia! Skyhawks from No. 75' Squadron. R.N.Z.A.F., are at-j jtached to the air defence! I system from time to time. ] When a New Zealand frig- i ] ate is on station in South-' East Asia exercises are held i I with Malaysian naval units. ; 1 Perhaps the greatest! ;assistance which New Zea-! lend is providing towards! ’ithe defence of Malaysia (today is in the training’ of I j specialist servicemen to im-i iprove the capabilities of thej ! Malaysian Armed Forces. Members of the Malaysian i Armed Forces attended 41 defence training courses in New Zealand during the year ended March 31, 1977, Eight Royal Malaysian Navy ratings completed advanced radio and signals courses. ; Four R.M.N. petty officers continued a two-year radio electrical mechanicians’ course at H.M.N.Z.S. Tasman; five others began the course. A Royal Malaysian Air Force navigator completed flying training in New Zealand; other Malaysian personnel attended physical education and staff training courses. Two R.N.Z.N. officers were serving with the Royal Malaysian Navy on a twoyear interchange under which two R.M.N. officers] filled staff appointments in] the Auckland Naval Com-| mand.