Kuala Lumpur, 10 June 1965
1352. Secret
Singapore/Kuala Lumpur Relations
Head, Wade and I have been discussing the problem of Singapore/Kuala Lumpur relations. We agree that the prospects of any improvement are dim unless Lee leaves the scene. At the same time, of course, we appreciate that his detention (or even assassination by fanatics) would only make matters worse. Wade believes that there might be some possibility of the Central Government appointing Lee to New York. Head is much more doubtful but has been pressing the idea with the Tunku and may have suggested that his Government could show some sympathy for the idea when the Tunku is in London.
2. I am convinced that the Tunku will not agree to offer Lee an appointment—indeed, he stated this categorically in response to Head’s suggestions last night. As I see it Alliance leaders are now committed to a political struggle with Lee. In any case, Lee himself could hardly afford to desert his supporters by leaving the field of battle at this stage.
3. Head is now more afraid than he was previously that Lee may be imprisoned. He has already warned the Tunku of the serious effect on international opinion if this were to happen without a substantial case. According to Head, Tunku commented—‘I know my duty’, and made it clear generally that he regarded the controversy with Singapore as an internal matter in which the British had no right to interfere. Nevertheless, the New Zealanders have told us that Head received an undertaking that the Tunku would not take any action against Lee before the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference and that he would discuss the issue with Mr Wilson in London and with Head before doing anything further.
4. Last night when we were talking about Indonesia, (my 1351)1 Head returned to the attack and persisted in seeking some assurance from the Tunku that he would not imprison Lee. Tunku just as persistently refused to be drawn, saying in effect—‘we live here and I shall do what is needed for this country. There is no need for you to worry’.
5. Head may have drawn the wrong conclusion but I am sure that the Tunku’s refusal to give a satisfactory reply was based on his reluctance to allow Head to interfere in what he regards as an internal matter. I am satisfied that there is no intention at present to arrest Lee.
6. I told Head and Wade of my recent talk with Lee (my 1301 )2 and mentioned that Lee seemed keen to have talks in London while the Tunku was there. Head agreed that Lee would probably like talks that would include the British but said his own advice would be against any three-cornered discussion at this time. He added that he believed that any advice to the Tunku on Singapore would have to be carefully given and that a direct approach would be likely to be counter productive.
7. Both Tunku and Razak have derived considerable satisfaction from reports that people were paid to attend the Malaysian Solidarity Convention in Singapore last Sunday and that some were brought by specially chartered bus from as far away as Seremban.3 Nevertheless, the prospect of a series of conventions is giving Malaysian Ministers a good deal of concern. If these, as seems certain, inflame communal feelings, I believe that the next major move of the Alliance might well be to introduce special legislation in Parliament under Part XI of the Constitution in the interests of internal security and communal harmony. If the situation continued to deteriorate and racial troubles developed, direct action might be taken against Lee.
8. On June 8th, an ad hoc committee, under the chairmanship of Tun H.S. Lee,4 was set up to invite all registered Chinese guilds and associations in the country to send representatives to a mass meeting in Kuala Lumpur on June 20 to discuss the following resolutions—
(1) To urge all Chinese to strengthen further the existing harmony among all the races in Malaysia to support unreservedly Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in his determined efforts to resist the Indonesian aggression.
(2) To oppose resolutely any plan which aims at disrupting the existing friendly relations between all races in Malaysia.
9. This could be a useful move and I have suggested to some of the Malaysian Ministers that it might help if other communities could hold similar ‘non-Government’ meetings with the objective of promoting racial harmony.
[NAA: A1838, 3027/2/1 part 23]
1 Document 273.
2 Document 272.
3 Capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan, approximately 65 km south of Kuala Lumpur.
4 Lee Hau Shik (Colonel Tun Sir Henry)—prominent Chinese industrialist (tin mining), leading member of the MCA and other Chinese associations in Malaya/Malaysia, and former Minister of Transport, and Minister of Finance.