Canberra, 21 March 1963

Australian Defence Commitments in regard to Malaya and the Borneo Territories

(a) Position Prior to the Formation of Malaysia

Australia's commitments are the same as they have been for some years now and as they have been explained to Parliament in the past. In 1955 the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia deployed forces in Malaya as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve in order to contribute to the maintenance of peace and security in the South-East Asian area. In 1957 when Malaya became independent, the United Kingdom, which prior to Malaya's independence was responsible for defence and internal security in Malaya, concluded a Defence Agreement with Malaya under which it assumed treaty commitments for the defence of Malaya. Australia is not a party to that Agreement but is associated with it, in particular those sections dealing with the Status of Visiting Forces in Malaya. (The United Kingdom-Malayan Agreement is public. The Australian Letter of Association is not.)

Australia has no treaty obligation to defend Malaya but it is obvious that if Malaya were subject to external aggression it would be contrary to the purpose of the deployment of the Strategic Reserve and to our relationships with two Commonwealth countries–Malaya and the United Kingdom–for Australia to remain aloof.

If pressed on the question of the availability of the Australian forces for internal security purposes, it would be appropriate to say that, in 1955 Australia agreed that Australian forces could participate in operations against Communist terrorists in Malaya but this decision did not extend to the use of Australian forces in relation to any civil disturbances or in the internal affairs of Malaya or Singapore. At the invitation of the Malayan Government, these arrangements were continued after Malaya's independence.

(b) Position after Malaysia

There is no present constitutional relationship between Malaya and the Borneo territories. The United Kingdom will remain responsible for the defence and internal security of the Borneo territories until Malaysia comes into being.

Australia has no obligations in regard to the defence or internal security of the Borneo territories. What the position will be after Malaysia comes into being has not yet been discussed with the Malayan Government.

[NAA: A1209, 1963/6544 part 2]

1 These notes were provided for Barwick as a background for any questions asked in Parliament.