HEALEY INSPECTING GURKHAS; SOLDIERS ASSEMBLING 105MM GUN; HEALEY LEAVING BY HELICOPTER.




Initials GM/V/WH/AM



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Background: THE BRITISH DEFENCE MINISTER, ME DENIS HEALEY, IS AT PRESENT ON A 10-DAY TOUR OF BRITISH UNITS IN THE FAR EAST. ON FRIDAY HE VISITED GURKHA TROOPS STATIONED AT TEBEDU, SARAWAK, ABOUT THREE MILES (ABOUT FIVE KILOMETRES) FROM THE INDONESIAN FRONTIER.

MR HEALEY TOLD REPORTERS ON HIS ARRIVAL IN KUCHING FROM SINGAPORE THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE A WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH TROOPS AFTER INDONESIA ENDS ITS CONFRONTATION OF MALAYSIA WOULD LEAVE A VACUUM IN BORNEO. HE SAID DETAILS OF THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL WERE BEING WORKED OUT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND MALAYSIA FOLLOWING HIS TALKS IN KUALA LUMPUR EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

HE WAS UNABLE TO GIVE DETAILS OF THE WITHDRAWAL, ADDING: "YOU CAN'T PULL OUT 16,000 MEN IN HALF AN HOUR" HE DECLINED TO SAY IF THIS WAS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF BRITISH TROOPS SERVING IN SARAWAK, SABAH AND BRUNEI. THE FIGURE OF 16,000 WAS AN EXAMPLE, HE EXPLAINED.

YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) MR HEALEY FLEW ON TO BRUNEI FROM SARAWAK.