Malaysia, Indonesia – and Maphilindo

While this article is being written, a ceasefire along the Malaysian-Indonesian border in North Kalimantan threatens to give way to full-scale hostilities. February drew to a close, Tunku Abdul Rahman accused Indonesian aircraft of violating his country's air space and Indonesian-led guerrillas of committing fresh incursions and slayings; he also departed from his usual mild manner in describing Sukarno and his associates: As Prime Minister I have dealt with Communist terrorists, gangsters, thugs and cut-throats, but never have I come across such despicable, callous and utterly irresponsible persons. RAF fighters have joined Malaysian patrols in reply to Djakarta's announced intention to air-drop supplies to the guerrillas. A conference held in Bangkok by the foreign ministers of Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia has collapsed over Djakarta's refusal to order the withdrawal of these forces from Malaysian Borneo, and Tunku Abdul Rahman announced on March 5, 1964, that his government will take its dispute to the United Nations since Malaysia cannot negotiate at gunpoint. What is the natureand regional implicationsof Indonesia's confrontation strategy against its recently-created neighbour

Geography · Political science · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Asian Studies and History

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