SAVING TELEGRAM
BY BAG
FROM: KUALA LUMPUR
UNCLASSIFIED
TO:
FCO telno 9 Saving of 6 December 1974
2
INFO: SINGAPORE, WELLINGTON, CANBERRA, WASHINGTON,
UKDEL NATO, BRUSSELS
DEFENCE REVIEW: MALAYSIAN REACTIONS
1. There has been no public reaction to the Defence Review proposals from Malaysian Ministers or senior officials.
2.
The Malaysian press has been preoccupied with student unrest in the country since 3 December; what coverage there has been of the Defence Review has been largely factual. A "New Straits Times" editorial on 5 December gave details of those proposals affecting the Far East and pointed out that the timing of their implementation would be subject to consultation with the govern- ments concerned. It continued: "The ANZUK arrangements are not being scuttled. Their modification will preserve the obligation to consult if peace is threatened. Consultation, not automatic response to a changing situation, has been the basis of the pact from the beginning. British reduction of defence expenditure and concentration on the NATO alliance will in no way mean a direct weakening of our own security. #1 In conclusion the editorial welcomed the proposal to terminate the Simonstown agreement, but stated that the decision to expand facilities on Diego Garcia "can torpedo the neutralisation campaign and will be actively resented in Asia."
*
3. An editorial on 5 December in the Chinese language Malayan "Thung Pau" sympathised with the need for the Defence Review proposals, recalled that both Malaysia and Singapore had improved their own defence capabilities over the last three years and pointed out that it would still be sensible to continue the Five-Power defence arrangements after the proposed British withdrawals.
4. The Malay language papers have carried no editorial comment on the Review,
NORRIS
FILE S
DEFENCE DEPT
ACDD HKIOD
PS
PS/MR ENNALS
PS/LR HATTERSLEY
PS/LORD GOROMIY-ROBERTS
PS/MISS LESTOR
SIR G ARTHUR
HR EDMONDS
MR WEIR
MOD INTERNAL
WOD
N AM D
PUSD
NEWS DEPT
GIPD
WED
PS/FUS
PLANNING STAFF
SIR J KILLICK
EAD
MR
HOMSON
S ASIAD
MED
SWPD
SEAD
CSAD
MR WILFORD
MR CAMPBELL
AIR MALD
MR MORGAN