§ 92. Sir J. Edenasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the recent measures he has taken to strengthen the United Kingdom military forces in the Far East.
§ Mr. HealeyBy repeated infiltrations into Western Malaysia, by heavily reinforcing her troops close to the Malaysian frontiers and by aggressive public statements, the Indonesian Government has shown that it proposes to continue and indeed intensify its policy of force and intimidation against Malaysia. Whilst these things continue it is difficult to take seriously the more pacific utterances with which they are occasionally interspersed.
Although the defensive forces available hitherto have been sufficient to deny Indonesia any measure of success, both the Malaysian and the British Governments have thought it prudent to strengthen these forces against the increased threat. For our part, we are arranging to increase the naval patrol forces in the waters around Western Malaysia, and to increase the size and air-mobility of our land forces, especially in Eastern Malaysia.
Indonesian truculence will in no way deter us from meeting our obligations in the defence of Malaysia.