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Note from the Colonial Office on the use of British forces after Malayanindependence (10 January 1956)

Caption: In a note dated 10 January 1956, the Colonial Office provides details about the ongoing talks withthe Federation of Malaya on the use of British forces in Malaya after the country’s independence. The UnitedKingdom is keen to maintain military bases in the region.

Copyright: (c) The National Archives of the United Kingdom

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URL:http://www.cvce.eu/obj/note_from_the_colonial_office_on_the_use_of_british_forces_after_malayan_independence_10_january_1956-en-55ee4a86-4c3d-4383-9053-874021966e51.html

Last updated: 01/03/2017

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Federation forces

employed 'On duties cir t:icir rel ati,n­

on of !.ialey;i or t of thc, Feder;ition , only on direct orists in speci f i ed

· ons of a type of c , or which, i n the · tarily unsound;

1· th,,se directives, the , tht. Ail' Offi c ~r and, L ' need be, , the

of the Emer:;ency :·;deration of ~,k.':.l~v1.

<"\ l, ..i,. or11.l :ovt:1--nnen-i~s ;

ati on of 1.hleyo.. ,.-.d. th

· th a view t o a:: :·ccin .. ces shall operate on" upon the .:i.ddi tion.'.l.l

rbove t hose: to be ln.'.l.de t;

Overseas Corru:iorn7e.:J.l th · ::.ndependence :t:·e upport of th"

' to ';i ve effective aduct of em'"rccncy he Government o1 th"

1c position anc: interests undcrb.ken to 'lS.,ist tion 01 its c:u:ir,1.i sn

been in consult·"--, .,__h -• L_On c of Aus tr·, 1 a ｾ＠ u · C-L..J.. , , pen

card thcu .'.\.S Dro -

n ·che Fe~er;icicn n'1.J

thcJ..r c:urr,xu r·n ,7eve1·, th.'lt, a; it' is ne Overse~., Comr.1011-~~Pea.l h. the.L

cf' the Austrulia.n a si1m.lcr rir;ht

~e 1''eder~\tion o:.. J..n :PIU'.'.\_~raph L;. etvrcc;n Her - . · · · l..1.JCSty 1 s J..n order tl1.~t t'1 . .. , ey J..n the i'cder:i.tion o:t

:TU.11(_'.ements

MJ'./CIGS ｾ＠MI./VCIGS PJ' .. /DMO MO 1 Mi .. /VAG P.l'./DSD Pl,/DDSD SD 2 PJ./DMT MT 1 (3) Ph/VQMG PA/Brig Q(Ops) Q(Ops)1,3 PJ./DQ PJ../DDQ Q 6 C 2 I of' L CC 1 & 3 (Overseas) Asst Sec F 1 : .. sst Sec WF (.i' .. & G)

Separate loose minutes

SECRET

LM to 098/4798(M02)

I

Use of British forces after Malayan Independence

1 • Herewith for inf'orma t ion a copy of a note which wa s handed to the Malayan Chief Minister during the recent t a lks on " Short te11 m building req_uirements".

2. The Chief Minister is understood to have agreed to this note a lthough his written assent is still awaited.

SEC ET

6i· .&fv \ t ,f;fVY'

j""Lt Col S ;r• MO 2

Ext 455 // Jan 57

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Uado SnJeJ:

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Colonic,l Office N t h handed to Chief '"~ -~ on

8 art term buildinc requirements

i.1.nister on 10th Januar<J , 1956

-------The l'.'overn<1e:1;; of the Federation of ·al " - ·11

U ·· a T· · d o ' " a.a 111 be avrare tha'- il n:i.cr>u ,-inc; om 1 orces can be concentra'-ed · ~-] 1

" 1.l!l"G · 1 D " in • 1e ong- term loc ot · .

unu.er G 1e efence i,greement i'c ,,ill be nece f .,_ _ . ｾ＠ ions_"_·. rovided C o·'· '· . , ' • $Sary 0r ! er ].laJes'·yl S (' , .o con.,.1-ucc , on sices n o17 occu·:,ied b·r '·he -u· .,_ d 1. . . " oven1.1<' t

- " " ni .e \inodom Service th ... v_ number_ of tem:_10r<1r:,' co=s for these forces U 1 •· 'h" . au or·., 1.es , ｾ＠ · 11 - • n e s s ·c is is done '-hese .1. orces_· '.11 possess no a ccor,imodnt ion in rm.ich the b ,_. , ' "

h ·' - . '·] dr , . y can e sta •l.onea. as and \! en v11ey are \i"J. • 1 own from on.;i-terrorist =era'-· · th ·

-.,, "ions in e Junr,le.

L , The C over,1mcnt of ·i;he Federa ~i.011 of Lal oya ruive - tl · U . ' l I'" - S . rece,. y infClrllied nice ,1.n ,._om ervice author ities in the Fol- Eas'c that '·h"

· · .·. 1 '-h ,. · · · · , I " ev can at,I'e e pri,1c1.~) e c De !e r J<caJescy s C,over:nment should receive lease th

f f · · ·, f · , . s on ese o ive ~,ears in :i1e ir:· c J.nstcnce, r eneY1able therenfter from ye t ot ~he di.scret: 0;1 of the Federntion Gove niment. ar

0

the in sites year

3'. Her l-1:jes t :, ' s (-°:'ernne ,~t r e cou'-ise th2t ;;he (~oven1ment of the I'eder~tion v11ll not 1·'J.sh ·,;o comm.it themselves at this sta. ;e to the co;1t::.;:me d occu:, - ·- r"l of

th<"se sites ~:' · , ,_ , Forces for a defi.ni·ce period of longer than fiv-s y ;:; , nd, for their port , they have no ,ti.sh t o remain in ocCUJ:lDtion of clieL ,,1~,

ln,1;-;e r t han i s necessary , '.rhey intend to prosecute i;heir lone - term mili·:·~r--. ·:ilding progr amme in the Federat ion with nll possible speed but the - c,n ·he 1,0 ossurance chat in five years t ime that pro[ r allll"!le Y1ill hav; been s o" f or 2c.. rnnced thc1 t it ·::ill not be nece ssa ry to con-i;i.nue occUfation of come of t hese ';,;m·:_:,or ary sites .

4. .,e r ]l;njest:· ' s "-over:nment are therefore read·, to accept the yrOJ osal mcde o~r G:1e '"-o-,;ernme'..li:; a:' the FederDtion , ,'7hich is se~c out in pararTaph 2 above

bu·'.; , ::...., so damn..; , they 11ould u ish to be assured that unon thece~;irv of th; i.ni·c i vl five year le oses they can look to the ::;ood offices ond c"'o-operation of ';11e Cove r:nment of' the Federetio;1 in obtaining any necessary extensions.

5. 1-.t the p resent time, and in order thBt i;he temporary building pro'TD.c.me mDy e se i; in hand n '.; the easiest a ,)portunity, it is necessary for the Serv~ce ·u;;horiL.es to 1,efotiate le ases Y."ii;h the S·i;Dte or Set·clement (;.overnme:.i;r. or · •ich 0 ;riv-ote om1ers. Her l'.a jest~, , s Gove rnment \fOuld, hm7ever, be most

apprecia ;iv-c if the GovenimeLt of the Federation vrere oble to use their scad oftices in Dny i.ndivj_duol C[,ses of cl.ifficul'cy -.. ihich may arise. Her Hnjest:·'s Goven1meat understand nlso thot che Government of ~he Federation are intendi.nc to secure for themselves po,;er to acquire l a;1ds required for defence purposes,

and t'.1e:' vould · 'ish to enquire of the Government of the Federntion \lhether it is i.:,tended ·chnt ofter independence nei:;otiations on these leases or for their extension shoul,-, be conducted direc'cly ·.ri'.;h the r~overnment of the Federution or, as ot µresent , ,:1ith the State or Set-Clement f;.overnments or priv.:Jve C'l\-,11ers.

6. On ;;he ~)articulor question of i.ndiviclual sites, arreement has not yet been secured to the ifnited Fin::;dorn I s cmYc:inuing Df ter independence i;o occu ,:o" "b:;o sites Dt I,oh and one at .1a rdiebun1. The "-over.runent of +.he S~ai;e of

Perak is understood to be :mxious to use port at least of. the lond ot I·,)oh

for the constructio;1 of a hospital, ,1hile the Government of the 3tote of

Sclangor \i:i.shes to eJ:tend mi.nine OJ?erations on part of the site at riardicburn,

It is essentiol if' the efZicient prosecution of the campaien, a::;oi.nst the terrorists is not to be impaired and if the re-deploymen·i; of U.K. forces in t11.eir lon::;-term locotions is to be carried out ,.,ith the r_,Tet'ltest expedition thot !er La jes·.;y' s Goveniment should be permi. tted to continue in nccupotion of t!1ose sites after independence. If continued occupntion of them could be ,ssurec";. for f·'ve Jenrs , Her ilaJesty's Government vould wish to assure the --overnment of the _;!ederotion that ;,hey 1-rottl.d bo ready vii. thin thnt \JeriOC:. to discuss i;hc ·olwseu relense of all or parts of ·:;hem to the civil outhori'.;ies for other ,11.'.I'"•~oses, ond ·.,ould also undertake ~]·wt ~hese si·i;es './Ould be the first to be releusccl. as the pro,_,;ress msde on the lon:-cerm buildine; pro:}':.;mme mode av::;ilablc ne·:r acconunodation to vhich their forces could be moved. If, hcr.revor, these si'ces ore to be the first \/hich ·:.ill be evocuated, the sUITe,1der of oertoi.n of the other sites vti.11 as on inevitnble consequence be delayed, or:d Her l.iajesty1s Government therefore trust i;hot the Goven1ment of the Fedorotion w.:tJ.l be able to ·,ive them the assurance for uhich thev osk in pDragroph 4 vbovo.

w " /7.

S:EXJRET

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7. The Government of the Federa·cion ,.-fill be aYTare thn t detachments of

i>ustr.i lian troo,)s ere stationed et Ipoh. Her l,'8 Jesty I s Gavernment ca,mot at the stage canmit the Australian Government , but thiw ~,ill do all 'Gh6)' con to

carry ilhat Gavernment Hith them.

SECRET

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BT

UNCLAS

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