FOR PRESS: -4R P. M. No. 44 -/ 1967
STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE MEETING BETWEEN
AUSTRALIAN MINISTERSQ AND THE MALAYSIAN
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak,
who 4s visiting Australia as a guest of the Australian Government, today
attended a meeting of the Foreign Aff airs and Defence ' Committee of Cabinet.
The meeting followed a Ministerial luncheon hosted by the Australian Prime
Minister, Mr. Harold Holt.
The discussions reflected the wide range of common interests
and the close association which have developed between Australia and Malaysia
over a number of years. The two countries enjoy mutual co-operation a
sense of warm friendship and understanding. and a deep respect for each
other ' s achievements and progress.
Tun Razak said he was glad on this visit to express in person
the appreciation of the Malaysian Government and people for the contribution
which Australia had made with the other Commonwealth partners, Britain
and New Zealand, to Malaysia's security. He said that the continuing
presence of Australian. British and New Zealand forces. under arrangements
which had the full consent and co-operation of his Government. remained a
valuable factor in the stability of the region. At the same time, it was
Malaysia's intention to continue to strengthen its own national capacity for
defence. The substantial programme of Australia's defence aid had been of
great value in the expansion of Malaysia's defence forces.
Australian Ministers informed Tun Razak that they believed
that the provision of defence aid in the form of giving equipment for
Malaysia's newly-formed military units. the temporary secondment of
Australian personnel, and the training of Malaysian personnel in Australia
was a particularly valuable form of co-operation 4n the security field.
They welcomed the considerable progress which Malaysia had already
achieved in building its own defence capacity.
An agreement was reached in the discussion that an Australian
technical mission should visit Malaysia in the near future to examine
Malaysia's future requirements. Australian Ministers gave an assurance to
Tun Razak that they were aware of Malaysia' s need for continuing assistance
in this field and, within the limits imposed by competing demands on resources,
would extend the defence aid programme until the end of 19701, the termination
date for Malaysia's present expansion programme.
Tun Razak referred to the great difficulties created for
Malaysia by the low prices for rubber and also to their large requirements
for external finance to implement the first Malaysia Plan for social and
economic development. He expressed appreciation of the developmental
aid already given by Australia and hoped that this could be continued and if
possible expanded in the future.
r 7 The discussion noted that the increasing and widening
contacts between the two countries extended into many fields, including
growing trade and business connections and tourism. Ministers noted that
there were at the present moment in Australia some '~ CColomboP lan
students from Malaysia studying in Australia as well as several thousands
of private students. These, with the many thousands of Malaysian students
who had received training and education in Australia over the years, added
an important chapter of their own to the story of the relations between the
two countries. The discussions included a general review of pdlitical and
strategical developments in South East Asia. Tun Razak x~ viewed the
progress that had been made in restoring Malays ian/ Indones ian relations
and the possibilities of a wider framework for co-operation. Malaysia and
Australia are both members of two new organizations in the region. the
Asian and Pacfic Council ( ASPAC) and the Asian Development Bank and there
was a useful exchange of views on developments in these organizations.
With respect to Viet Nam. it was agreed that South Viet Nam
had the right to maintain its independence and to self -detex. mination and to
invite its allies to assist in its defence. Tun PRazak pointed out that because
of her own inteznal security problems, Malaysia could not help with troops.
Hcwever, Malaysia had extended support to South Viet Nam in other ways and
in particular provided training of officers in development and administration.
Tun Razak drew attention to the white papers issued by the Malaysian
Government which described the close relationship between communist
activity Jin Sarawak and West Malaysia and similar activity in South Viet
Nam and North East Thailand. It was agreed that there was a need for
constant vigilance if the stability of the region was to be preserved and if
the countries of the region were to be able to press on with the great tasks
of national construction with better and widening opportunities for their
peoples. CANBERRA, 13th April, 1967.