Salient. Official Newspaper of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association. Vol 40. No. 7. April 13 1977
News From Malaysia & Singapore
News From Malaysia & Singapore
Harun to be nailed?
While the pro-Harun forces were preparing grounds for Harun's return to power by presenting him as a victim of a pro-communist plot, a turn of events took place on February 28, when the Public Prosecutor, Abdul Kadir Yusof, filed an application appealing against the sentence imposed by the High Court on Harun on grounds that it was inadequate.
Harun was earlier this year found guilty of criminal breach of trust involving M$6.5 million while serving as Chairman of Bank Rakyat. He appealed against the sentence and was released on a M$100,000 bail.
Such a legal move by the Public Prosecutor can only be seen in connection with the power struggle within the UMNO hierarchy. It is certainly a move to knock another nail into Harun's coffin to prevent his return to power. Such a decision taken against Harun cannot be without the tacit approval of the Prime Minister, Hussein Onn.
With the so-called pro-Reds being removed from their positions, Harun's clique would either have to point an accusing finger direct at Hussein Onn or to create more scapegoats to save Harun from "further humiliation."
Ref: Straits Times 28 Feb 1977, 1 March 1977.
Ghazali and the Guerillas.
While many estimated the communist guerilla force in Peninsula Malaya to be around the range of 3,000, the Malaysian Home Affairs Minister Ghazali Shaffie put it as around the range of only three hundred odd.
This estimate of only 300 would only make a mockery of the frantic movements among the Thai, Malaysian, Singapore and Indonesian regimes to co-ordinate their counter guerilla drives at the highest level.
In early March. Hussein Onn leading a team of top officials including the Foreign Minister went to Bangkok for a three day visit to officially sign a Malaysia-Thailand Border Pact which replaces the one abrogated by the former Thai civilian government. Under the agreement, Malaysia and Thai troops can cross each other's border in so-called "hot pursuit" of guerillas. It also provides unlimited joint military operations.
This agreement was immediately condemned by the patriotic underground forces in Thailand, according to a report of the BBC summary of World Broadcast 7th March. The underground radio, the Voice of Patriotic Thailand, further accused the Malaysian and Thai troops of massacring Thai farmers in the January joint military operation in South Thailand. The radio said, "This agreement permits reactionary Malaysian policemen and soldiers to enter Thai territory, encroach on Thai sovereignty and kill Thai people as they please." It also said that the agreement went against the spirit of the Betong people's struggle last year which removed the Malaysian soldiers stationed on Thai soil.
At another level, the Indonesian military authorities are planning joint military exercises with their Malaysian counter parts. In addition, the Indonesian Defence and Security Minister, General Penggabeen in a recent visit to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 8th Malaysian-Indonesian general border committee meeting on March 9th, revealed his plans to station Indonesian military observers at the Malaysian-Thai border area.
The General put it bluntly that any disturbance in these countries would inspire and lend moral support to the Indonesian rebels. By this statement, it thus made clear that such so-called counter-guerilla military movements are not in response to external aggression by socialist states, a myth which the ASEAN countries tried to build up, but rather a reaction to indigenous movement.
Whatever ideological differences the ASEAN regimes have with their respective indigenous movements, it should be settled and resolved within the framework of each country. Any form of intervention by another country can only be described as interference which is contrary to the principle of self-determination of the people.
Ref: Straits Times, March, 1977.
Summary of the World Broadcast, March, 1977.
Perak Sultan vs Mentri Besar.
Controversies within the feudal political circle in Malaysia never seem to be ending, occasionally feeding the reading public with scandalous but sensational revelations.
The 2nd March Straits Times reported a "long standing feud" between the Perak Sultan and his Chief Minister Tan Sri Haji Ghazali Jawi which blew up into the open, reaching a "crisis point" and a "final showdown."
Within a week, the Perak Sultan called two press conferences to lash out at his Chief Minister. Calling him by name, the Sultan told the press that Ghazali Jawi was appointed to the post in September 1974 "at my pleasure and on conditional basis."
He accused Ghazali Jawi of doing things as he wished and abusing his powers. Last December, the Sultan said that the MB could do as he liked in his own political sphere but in the administration of the state, he was responsible to the Sultan; in particular, the Sultan alleged that since Ghazali Jawi took over, Perak has been "in the red" with a deficit of $9 million.
Obviously it is more than the Sultan alone who wish to see Ghazali removed. The armed forces in Perak headed by Sany are at loggerheads with the Mentri Besar. Some time in 1976 Sany came out into the open to accuse the Mentri Besar of not doing enough to combat the communist guerillas operating in the State.
Earlier in his defence, Ghazali Jawi said that he was leading the State government on an UMNO mandate. To this, the Sultan said that he was 'indeed surprised." The Sultan further disclosed that he had earlier wanted to remove Ghazali Jawi but was told by the former Prime Minister Razak, to give the Chief Minister "another chance as he had no where to go."
As though to confirm this, Ghazali Jawi told the press on March 6th that he would inform the public the moment he decided to quit. "I will then resign and pack up and return to my Kampung."
Ref: Straits Times 2, 7 March 1977.
Oil Price Affects Consumers.
On 24 February, four oil companies — Shell, BP, Esso, and Mobil — announced an increase of 8-10% on prices of cooking gas. They, however, declined to disclose the reasons for the increase.
Earlier, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Minister for Trade and Industry, said that the oil companies had requested a price hike because the price of crude oil had been increased by the OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.) They had also requested for the price increase of petrol, diesel and kerosene.
As the cooking gas is a daily necessity and is widely used for cooking among the Malaysian and Singaporean families, the price hike hit the ordinary households badly. Protesting against the increase, the Melacca Consumers' Association said that in spite of price increase in crude oil, the oil companies should and were able to absorb the higher operation costs instead of passing it on to the consumer. They urged the government to include cooking gas in the list of controlled items as it is a daily necessity.
At the same time, angry reaction was reported from Sibu when an increase of 6c per gallon for diesel was announced. This will adversely affect the small local industries, fishing and the express launches. It has also caused anxiety among the timber traders as timber is transported by boats run on diesel. Increase in diesel will jack up capital cost while the demand for timber export has not picked up for some time.
While oil increases cause such economic havoc in Malaysia and Singapore, many questions are asked about oil production in Malaysia. As an oil producing country that has recently acquired the status of net exporter of oil, it is an irony that the people have to bear the burden of increase in price of foreign oil.
Figures show that foreign companies while exporting 75% of Malaysian high quality low sulphur content oil, import foreign oil (75% of it is from OPEC) for local consumption. Such import-export swap only serves to increase the profit margin of foreign companies.
While already profiting from such "oil swap", the companies could make further profit by passing any cost increase on to the consumer.
Such is now the case in Malaysia. It is therefore little wonder that Shell is able to announce a net profit of 1,300 million pounds for 1976 — an increase of some 36.8% over their previous year's figure.
As a result of such practices, we have irrational phenomena such as Malaysians paying more for petrol and by-products than Filippinos, who do not even produce oil! Even more ridiculous is that the people in Sarawak, the "oil state", pay more for the cooking gas than those in the Peninsula. For instance, the newly increased price for gas is 8-9% higher in E. Malaysia than in W. Malaysia.
Ref: Nanyang 11, 13, 23, 25 February 1977
Sarawak Tribune 27 February 1977
See Hua 28 February 1977.
US Eyes ASEAN.
The Bangkok Post reported a meeting in Lop Buri, Thailand, attended by three top level military representatives from United States. Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea and Thailand. The formation of the coalition was aimed at studying and exchanging various counter-insurgency tactics. The coalition was headed by American Special Warfare Chief, Major General B.C. Kingston. The next meeting of the coalition was scheduled to take place in South Korea although no date being announced, according to March 4th report of New Asia News.
Such development deserves closer scrutiny and especially at this stage when there is overt military involvement of the Americans.
American intention can be sized up in the recent speech of American Ambassador in Singapore, John J. Hodridge, who said that American would continue its interest in S.E. Asia. "One should keep in mind that an American withdrawal from Asia and retreat into neo-isolation will not happen." "American interest in South East Asia is simply too great. US security Interest, both global and regional, demand our continuing involvement in Asia," said Holdridge.