Canberra, 9 August 1965
1148. 851. Confidential Immediate
We are looking forward to your earliest possible assessment of the constitutional changes. Among the points we would like you to cover are:
(a) To what extent was Lee Kuan Yew a willing participant in these decisions?
(b) How genuine and effective can we expect co-operation in future to be between Malaysia and Singapore?
(c) Will Singapore’s resistance to Indonesia’s confrontation diminish in any way?
(d) How genuine were the communal pressures in the later stages? Are leaders like Razak, Ismail and Senn1 in control of their party? What is the strength of the Tunku’s own position now? Can we expect communal divisions to increase inside Malaysia? Will the Chinese population feel itself threatened or reduced in status?
(e) What are reactions in Northern Borneo? Were the Ministers and other leaders from these two states involved in the discussions or have they been presented with fait accompli? Are there any signs of Indonesia’s beginning to exploit in Northern Borneo the partial break-up of the Federation?
(f) What do you see as matters calling for immediate decision by Australia in regard to defence arrangements? Will a new request for defence arrangements have to come from the Singapore Government?
(g) What other questions require immediate or early decision by Australian Government? What is thinking about recognition and diplomatic representation in Singapore?
[NAA: A1209, 1965/6571]
1 That is, Senu bin Abdul Rahman.