HL Deb 12 June 1969 vol 302 cc771-2
LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British troops are stationed in Malaya; and in what circumstances, under the Anglo-Malayan Agreement they can be employed in the event of serious racial conflict recurring in Malaya.]

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, there are about 7,000 British troops, including Gurkhas, stationed in Malaysia. They are there under the provisions of the Anglo-Malaysian Defence Agreement which is concerned with external defence and mutual assistance. Internal civil law and order in the country is entirely a matter for the Malaysian Government, police and armed forces.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, do I understand from that reply that in fact in some circumstances British troops can be deployed in order to restore law and order in Malaya? May I also ask whether two stations in Singapore can be transferable either way?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

No, my Lords. My noble friend has not understood the situation correctly. The Anglo-Malaysian Defence Agreement is not concerned with matters of internal security in Malaysia. These are the responsibility of the Malaysian Government, and not of the British forces stationed there. As regards the second part of the noble Lord's supplementary, that is another question, and if my noble friend will put it down, I will answer it.

LORD SORENSEN

My Lords, although this may not have been the concern of the Agreement which has been entered into, nevertheless I would ask again whether outside that Agreement there is any kind of understanding by which, in certain grave circumstances, troops would be employed to restore law and order.

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, I hope that my noble friend will realise that any request for the help of British troops would raise very serious problems for us and would have to be considered carefully against all relevant factors existing at the time.

LORD SEGAL

My Lords, can my noble friend give any information as to the number of Commonwealth troops stationed in Malaysia?

LORD WINTERBOTTOM

My Lords, that is another question.