Importance of Mr. Mayhew
SIR,--Your leading article 'The Importance of Mr. Mayhew' last week states: 'At immense cost, we are defending Malaysia from an Indonesia that has itself ruthlessly suppressed a Chinese Communist plot.' The article suggests that our role East of Suez should not be 'primarily based on a military presence,' but should be 'exercised through diplomacy.' The article fails to mention our defence commitment to Malaysia. Are you advocating that we should dis- honour this commitment, or do you suggest that we can honour it 'through diplomacy'?
MILES HUDSON The Priors Farm. Mattingley, Basingstoke, Hants
[The force of the dubiously advisable Malaysian commitment was considerably reduced with the secession of Singapore last year. The need now is to negotiate a basis for extrication, perhaps on the basis of the `Maphilindo' concept. — Editor, SPECTATOR.]
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