Kuala Lumpur, 13 August 1965

1773. Secret

Malaysia/Singapore

Further to my 1758,¹ it is worth noting that had Singapore been anxious to avoid separation it would have been logical for Lee to have procrastinated and to have arranged quietly for the proposals to be leaked to the British. He would be well aware of the attitudes of the British, New Zealanders and ourselves and of the immediate pressures that would have been exerted on the Tunku. He has shown no reluctance in the past to seek outside involvement when he thought it would be to his advantage and that he did not do so on this occasion supports the accounts I have received from Razak and Ismail.

[NAA: A1209, 1965/6571]

1 Document 306.