Word: sukarno
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Indonesia's President Sukarno has threatened the new Federation of Malaysia, insulted Britain and brought his own country very close to disaster. Both Indonesia and the Philippines refuse to recognize Malaysia, questioning the United Nations survey which found that the inhabitants of Sarawak and Sabah favored federation...
...this objection is purely technical. Sukarno has repeatedly called Malaysia a "neocolonialist" attempt to maintain British influence in the area. Behind that charge lies his ambitions for territorial aggrandizement and a desire to give circuses instead of bread to the Indonesian people; to take their minds off hunger, unemployment and a crumbling economy...
...Philippines' objection stems from its claim to Sabah. However, this claim is both tenuous and obscure, and the Philippines have showed no aggressive tendencies. Indonesia has been less reticent. President Sukarno has promised to crush Malaysia and has sent combat troops to the borders of Sarawak and Sabah...
...surface, Sukarno's belligerence looks very bad for Malaysia. Indonesia's army, largely Soviet-supplied, is the most powerful in the area, Malaysia's one of the weakest. But Malaysia does not stand alone. Britain and Australia are pledged by treaty to defend her and both have planes and troops on Malaysian soil. The United States has promised Britain its full support...
...Sukarno could, of course, enlist Chinese military support, and this is the greatest danger in the situation. But Chinese support would come with many strings attached. Sukarno wants to see the whole Malay Archipelago his domain. He hardly wants to become a puppet in his own land...