Brunei Sultan said to be considering joining Malaysia
Published on: Saturday, December 14, 2019
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NORTH BORNEO NEWS & SABAH TIMES
(Monday, December 31, 1962)
BRUNEI TOWN, Sun. - Reliable sources said here yesterday that the Sultan has decided to join Malaysia.
The decision followed discussions with Privy advisers at the palace on December 22nd and December 23rd. However, the Sultan feels “there is room for discussion with the British and Malayan Governments.”
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His decision is expected to be announced early in 1963. The Sultan is also expected to visit Kuala Lumpur in January for talks with Tunku Abdul Rahman.
It is felt that all details would be thrashed out at these talks.
Meanwhile, the Filipino Government has accepted a British invitation for talks in London towards the end of January on the “security and stability of South-east Asia,” according to a British Embassy statement in Manila.
It is understood that the question of the Philippine claim to North: Borneo will be discussed at the talks.
This follows talks between President Macapagal and the British Ambassador, Mr John Pilcher, who has been in frequent touch with the Foreign Secretary, Nir Emmanuel Pelaez , since the Philippines laid claim to North Borneo.
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LONDON: Britain has renewed its request for an assurance that she is not supporting the rebels in the British protected Sultanate of Brunei an authoritative source said in London.
The source said this request was conveyed at a meeting on Christmas Eve in Jakarta between Sir Leslie Fry, the British Ambassador and Dr Leimena, Indonesia’s First Minister.
Britain had originally asked for such an assurance on December 16th when the Indonesian Ambassador in London, Dr Burhanuddin Diah, was asked to call at the Foreign Office.
A Foreign Office spokesman, answering questions at his daily press conference, said that as the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Dr Subandrio, was unfortunately ill the British Ambassador called on Dr Leimena to discuss recent events in Brunei. “There was a frank exchange of views,” the spokesman said.
The source said Dr Leimena would ‘be passing on to Dr. Subandrio the outcome of his meeting with Sir Leslie Fry and that Britain would be waiting the Indonesian Foreign Minister’s reaction.
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Meanwhile, the Indonesian “National Committee of Solidarity for the revolution of North Borneo” has demanded that the Malayan Government withdraw its troops from North Kalimantan, Antra News Agency reported.
The official news agency said a delegation of the committee met the Malayan Ambassador in Jakarta, Dato Haji Kamaruddin, yesterday and handed him a statement.