CONFIDENTIAL
6. COMMENT: THE HOME MINISTER'S REMARKS ADD LITTLE TO THE PM'S STATEMENT REPORTED IN MY TUR. AN MFA OFFICIAL HAS POINTED OUT THAT PM'S STATEMENT WAS MADE IN TRENGGANU, THE STATE MOST SERIOUSLY AFFECTED BY THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, IMPLYING THAT THE STATEMENT IS ESSENTIALLY FOR DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION AND REPRESENTS NO REAL CHANGE IN MALAYSIAN GOVERNMENT POLICY ON REFUGEES. HOWEVER THE MALAYSIANS HAVE PUT THE WEST ON NOTICE THAT SUCH A CHANGE MAY YET BE FORCED UPON THEM ALTHOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS ARE OPEN TO THEM OTHER THAN GHAZALI'S HINT ABOUT REPAT-
RIATION,
HAWLEY
FILES UND
HK & GD
SEAD
PS
PS/LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS
PS/MR LUARD
FED
PS/PUS
SAD
SIR A DUFF
MR CORTAZZI
}
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
LONDON
MR BURLEIGH
HOME OFFICE
QUEEN ANNE'S GATE
MR BIRT
HOME OFFICE.
LUNAR HOUSE CROYDON
EID (E)
PUSD
OID
IPD
NEWS D
MVD
MR WEIR
MR MURRAY
3 CONFIDENTIAL