Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 38, Number 13. 12th June 1975

Tunku Reveals Malaysian Arms Supplies To Ngoh Dinh Diem

Tunku Reveals Malaysian Arms Supplies To Ngoh Dinh Diem

In an article in The Star (28 April, 1975), the former Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman revealed supplying arms to the Ngoh Dinh Diem Regime in South Vietnam.

'I visited Saigon twice during his term (Ngoh Dinh Diem) of office and was decorated by him with Vietnam's highest honour and also by his successor. However, I was so impressed with this man that when the fight against the communists ended in July 1960, I decided to send to him, which I now confess openly, all the arms and war materials and equipment we used against the communists. At the time I denied doing so when tackled, because it was against the terms of the Geneva agreement.'

The Tunku spoke of Ngoh Dinh Diem in glowing terms and referred to him as 'a simple, religious and an honest man, hard to find a Head of State anywhere like him'.

Diem, according to the Tunku '...visited the various ramparts (jungle forts) built to defend the country against the communists and he was very impressed with our plan of defence. He was most impressed with our efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people, same thing in the Mekong Delta and there was much he had to learn from us and put it into practice in Vietnam'.

(2nd June, 1975, Fuemsso News Service)