Cablegram 13 SINGAPORE, 7 January 1949, 12.37 p.m.
CONFIDENTIAL
Michiels, Netherlands Ambassador in London, told Commissioner General [1] during his passage through Singapore that he was joining the Netherlands Prime Minister in Batavia to advise primarily on external repercussions of extremist Dutch action in Indonesia.
He made no secret of his dislike for the assignment.
2. In conversation with Governor of Singapore [2] with whom he sought interview to ask advice Michiels went further and said he expected to play a decisive part in the establishment of new Indonesian regime. Gimson gathered that he and not Drees would be most responsible figure in this regard. Michiels’ own idea is to set up Interim Federal Government and ask for Shahrir to join it.
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1 Malcolm MacDonald, Commissioner-General for the United Kingdom in South East Asia.
2 F. Gimson.
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[AA : A1838, 403/2/2/2, vi a]