Canberra, 9 April 1964

Top Secret

Submission No. 126–Use of Australian Forces against Indonesian trained Infiltrators in Malaysia

The Committee noted the request of the government of Malaysia that Australian forces in the Strategic Reserve should be made available as required to meet infiltration from Indonesia onto the mainland of Malaya.

The Committee approved the recommendation of the Submission that the forces be made available as required to meet infiltration from Indonesia into Malaya, subject to acceptable conditions of employment, including adequate command and control arrangements and legal safeguards.¹

2. It was agreed that the use of Australian forces in such circumstances would be assumed to be routine, and therefore that no special public announcement need accompany the decision.²

[NAA: A4940, C l473]

1 Malaysia's request (see Document 178) was examined by the Defence Committee, recorded out-of-session, on 8 April. The Committee's recommendation and report were supported in this submission to Cabinet by Hasluck.

2 Critchley was asked to inform the Malaysians of this intention and Australia's preference 'that none be
made'.