U.K. Withdrawal CONFIDENCE IN BORNEO

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 15

U.K. Withdrawal CONFIDENCE IN BORNEO

(N.Z P.A. Reuter —Copyright)

KUCHING, July 8.

Britain’s Defence Minister, Mr Denis Healey, said at Kuching today he did not believe the withdrawal of British troops from Borneo after the end of confrontation would leave a vacuum.

He will also meet political leaders in Sarawak and Sabah.

“I am quite convinced Malaysian forces will be able to handle the situation,” Mr Healey said on his arrival from Singapore for a four-day visit to British forces in Borneo.

Mr Healey said details of the British withdrawal were being worked out at military staff level between Malaysia and Britain. On the political level there seemed to be agreement.

Mr Healey said he was unable to give details of the withdrawal or its timing at this stage but he stressed it would be “orderly.”

“You can’t pull out 16,000 men in half an hour,” he said. After studying a note handed to him by a member of his staff Mr Healey said he wanted to make it clear the figure of 16,000 was only an ex-ample. He declined to say if 16,000 was the actual number of British forces in Borneo. The number was “over 10,000.” Border Garrison

After calling on the Governor of Sarawak, Tun Abang Haji Openg, and the Chief Minister, Penghulu Tawi Sli, Mr Healey is flying to Tebedu, near the Indonesian border and about 30 miles from Kuching, to meet troops of the Ist Battalion, 10th Princess

[Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles now in forward positions. Tebedu was the scene of the first Indonesian intrusion across the border when a party raided the police station there on Good Friday, 1963. The commander-in-chief. Far East, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Grandy, is accompanying Mr Healey on the visit to Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei.