A switch from Commonwealth
Trip in search of new allies
46-year old Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Rahah Noah visits Juliana of the Netherlands
By Felix Abisheganaden
KUALA LUMPUR, Monday
Tun Abdul Razak's 25-day trip to five European nations beginning tomorrow will mark the beginning of a gradual decline in Malaysia's reliance on Commonwealth countries alone.
He said today: "In the past we have been dependent on Commonwealth countries. We have now to depend on other countries; our needs have grown."
Besides economic assistance, Tun Razak will examine modern European weapons for the Malaysian armed forces. He is taking his Chief of Staff, Brigadier Ismail bin Ibrahim with him.
Talks in India
The Deputy Prime Minister will visit Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Denmark before going on to Britain.
On his way out, Tun Razak will stop in New Delhi for talks with the Indian President, Dr. Zakir Hussein, and the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
At an eye-of-departure press conference, Tun Razak confirmed that the five-power talks on defence would begin here on June 10.
He will discuss this topic with Britain's Defence Minister, Mr. Denis Healey, and speak generally with the Commonwealth Secretary, Mr. George Thomson.
Johari acting
During his absence, Inche Khir Johari will take on the additional portfolio of Defence, Senator Ghafar Baba, the Ministry of Rural Development, and Inche Hamzah bin Dato Abu Samah (assistant Minister), the Ministry of Home Affairs.
At the start of the conference, Tun Razak thanked all members of the Aid Malaysia Club for their past assistance to Malaysia.
"We thank them for the help they have given us in our economic development," he said.
One of the main objects of his trip was to impress upon European leaders Malaysia's economic and other requirements and seek further aid.
"Up to now," he said, "Our main sources of aid have always been Britain, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries and more recently the U.S.
"Now we have to look for aid - and closer friendship - with other countries."
Malaysia's foreign policy, he stressed had always been one of friendliness with "those who wish to be friendly with us."
To push through Malaysia's economic and development plans the country would have to get more assistance from as many different sources as possible.
Tun Razak will call on President Luebke of Germany, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, President De Gaulle, Prince Albert of Belgium, and Denmark's Prime Minister, Mr. Hilmar Baunsgaard.
On his flight from Delhi to Copenhagen, Tun Razak will stop over for an hour in the Soviet town of Tashkent.
Tun Razak said he had several "specific projects" in mind for discussion.
Invitations
One of these was a commercial dockyard which he would like to see established at Port Swettenham. He will study possibilities in Germany and Britain.
In reply to a question, he said plans for his tour had been drawn up long ago and had nothing to do with the accelerated British withdrawal from here.
The invitations had come one by one. He decided to cover all the countries in one tour instead of several.
His wife, Toh Puan Raha, who will accompany him, will have her own programme. She will meet members of social welfare and women's organisations.
This evening Wisma Putra announced that a meeting of officials would precede the June 10 defence talks.
"In the meantime," the statement added, "consultations will continue at diplomatic level regarding arrangements for the conference."
(The Straits Times, 30 April 1968)
Trip in search of new allies
46-year old Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Rahah Noah visits Juliana of the Netherlands
By Felix Abisheganaden
KUALA LUMPUR, Monday
Tun Abdul Razak's 25-day trip to five European nations beginning tomorrow will mark the beginning of a gradual decline in Malaysia's reliance on Commonwealth countries alone.
He said today: "In the past we have been dependent on Commonwealth countries. We have now to depend on other countries; our needs have grown."
Besides economic assistance, Tun Razak will examine modern European weapons for the Malaysian armed forces. He is taking his Chief of Staff, Brigadier Ismail bin Ibrahim with him.
Talks in India
The Deputy Prime Minister will visit Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Denmark before going on to Britain.
On his way out, Tun Razak will stop in New Delhi for talks with the Indian President, Dr. Zakir Hussein, and the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
At an eye-of-departure press conference, Tun Razak confirmed that the five-power talks on defence would begin here on June 10.
He will discuss this topic with Britain's Defence Minister, Mr. Denis Healey, and speak generally with the Commonwealth Secretary, Mr. George Thomson.
Johari acting
During his absence, Inche Khir Johari will take on the additional portfolio of Defence, Senator Ghafar Baba, the Ministry of Rural Development, and Inche Hamzah bin Dato Abu Samah (assistant Minister), the Ministry of Home Affairs.
At the start of the conference, Tun Razak thanked all members of the Aid Malaysia Club for their past assistance to Malaysia.
"We thank them for the help they have given us in our economic development," he said.
One of the main objects of his trip was to impress upon European leaders Malaysia's economic and other requirements and seek further aid.
"Up to now," he said, "Our main sources of aid have always been Britain, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries and more recently the U.S.
"Now we have to look for aid - and closer friendship - with other countries."
Malaysia's foreign policy, he stressed had always been one of friendliness with "those who wish to be friendly with us."
To push through Malaysia's economic and development plans the country would have to get more assistance from as many different sources as possible.
Tun Razak will call on President Luebke of Germany, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, President De Gaulle, Prince Albert of Belgium, and Denmark's Prime Minister, Mr. Hilmar Baunsgaard.
On his flight from Delhi to Copenhagen, Tun Razak will stop over for an hour in the Soviet town of Tashkent.
Tun Razak said he had several "specific projects" in mind for discussion.
Invitations
One of these was a commercial dockyard which he would like to see established at Port Swettenham. He will study possibilities in Germany and Britain.
In reply to a question, he said plans for his tour had been drawn up long ago and had nothing to do with the accelerated British withdrawal from here.
The invitations had come one by one. He decided to cover all the countries in one tour instead of several.
His wife, Toh Puan Raha, who will accompany him, will have her own programme. She will meet members of social welfare and women's organisations.
This evening Wisma Putra announced that a meeting of officials would precede the June 10 defence talks.
"In the meantime," the statement added, "consultations will continue at diplomatic level regarding arrangements for the conference."
(The Straits Times, 30 April 1968)
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