Canberra, 18 February 1963
126. 205. Secret
Malaysia
Your 1211 (Critchley). Your 1582 (Shann).
We have studied your assessments carefully and the following are our conclusions:
(a) Indonesian hostility to the formation of Malaysia and attempts to subvert it after its establishment are a fact of life. We must strive to diminish it, but are unlikely to be able to remove it altogether.
(b) Although face saving formulas could be devised, it is too late effectively to postpone Malaysia.
(c) We are suggesting to the British the earliest possible summoning of some joint meeting of the leaders of the three Borneo territories to pronounce on the new constitutions for the territories and the distribution of powers in the Federal structure. This meeting could be an expansion of the Malaysia Solidarity Consultative Committee3 and might serve to give the appearance of popular endorsement.
(d) This move will not end Indonesian or Philippine hostility, but it will at least provide an argument which Indonesia may find difficult to counter publicly since she clearly envisages the act of self-determination in West Irian as being carried out by what will be nominated councils.4
(e) This popular endorsement could be invaluable in the Committee of 24.5
(f) We should seek as soon as possible bilateral consultation between the United Kingdom on the one hand {and} Malaya, Indonesia and the Philippines on the other, on the problems of the security of the Malaysia area. This would give the British an opportunity to say what they propose to do for the defence of the weak Federation which they themselves have created.
For Shann
Please take an early opportunity to tell Subandrio that we are urging restraint on Tunku (our 204)6 and appeal to Indonesia to cease its public campaign of vituperation. You could instance Harsono’s statement7 and urge a return to the diplomatic methods Subandrio advocates.
In conversation with Subandrio and other Indonesians you should take up their alleged fears that Malaysia will come under Chinese domination, making the point that this can best be resisted by the co-operation of Indonesia, Malaya and the Philippines uniting against a common enemy.
[NAA: A1838, 2498/11 part 1]
1 Document 31.
2 See footnote 1, Document 31.
3 Organised as an offshoot of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the committee was made up of representatives of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo, Brunei and Sarawak with a view to forming a regional plan o f action on the Malaysia proposals. With subsequent expansion of its membership and operation, the committee became the major negotiating and propaganda agency for the proposed federation.
4 That is, councils to be appointed by the Indonesian Government and ostensibly representing the peoples of West Irian in the act of self-determination stipulated to take place in the territory in 1969.
5 The Special Committee on the Situation with Regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Established as a 17–member Special Committee by the UN General Assembly in 1961, it was enlarged to 24 members in 1962. Commonly referred to as the Special Committee of 24 (on Decolonization), its purpose was to examine the application of the Declaration and to make recommendations on its implementation.
6 Document 33 was repeated to Jakarta 204.
7 In Antara , 6 February, Gamis Harsono, spokesman of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, launched a strong personal attack on Tunku Abdul Rahman and on Malaya, which was alleged to be the ‘laughing stock’ of Southeast Asia.