CONFIDENTIAL
Q.A4 WILL IT BE ENTIRELY PHYSICAL SUPPORT OR WILL BRITAIN GIVE
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL AID TO MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE TO IMPROVE THEIR OWN DEFENCE FORCES?
We have for some years loaned considèrable numbers of
British Service personnel to the Malaysian Government to
assist in the training and expansion of their armed services.
We have recently loaned some officers to the Singapore
Government for the same purpose. Some of the costs of
providing these personnel are borne by HMG under military
technical assistance programmes.
/IF ASKED HOW MANY BRITISH SERVICE PERSONNEL ARE THERE CURRENTLY ON LOAN IN MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE, Roughly 3007
Our new policy does not entail any additional financial
support. You may know that in 1968 HMG offered £75m of
Special Aid to the Governments of Malaysia and Singapore,
sums which they could commit over a period of 5 years.
The object of the offer was to help offset the econòmic
effects in the countries concerned of our military withdrawal.
It was recognised that 'one of these effects would be that the
two Governments would incur substantially higher expenditure
in providing for their own defence. It was therefore agreed
that this Special Aid might be used for defence projects.
Indeed a substantial sum has already been so used, over £15M.
IF ASKED WHETHER THE SPECIAL AID PROGRAMME WILL CONTINUE NOW THAT BRITAIN IS TO RETAIN A MILITARY PRESENCE, Special Aid will continue to be available.
NB S OF S SHOULD NOT BE DRAWN INTO SAYING WHETHER SPECIAL AID WILL CONTINUE AT ITS PRESENT LEVEL. THE LEVEL OF SPECIAL AID TO SINGAPORE IS UNDER REVIEW, BUT THE SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT BEEN TOLD THIS.
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