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A HISTORY LESSON THE FIRST BATCH DID NOT GET
18
ONE
X. BRITISH WITHDRAWAL FROM SINGAPORE
XI. THE AFTERMATH OF SEPARATION
The return of the Labour Party to power in the UK in 1964 initiated a review of Britain’s overseas
defence commitments, despite the resistance of the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson and the
Defence Minister, Dennis Healy.
40
There just seemed no alternative to withdrawal from Singapore
to realise the massive cuts demanded in defence cost. Unfortunately, the debates coincided with
the breakdown in relations between Singapore and the Malaysian Federal Government and were
viewed in some circles as an excuse by Britain to get out of a sticky wicket. By the time the
separation occurred, the withdrawal was a foregone conclusion, and in 1967, the schedule was
announced. Mr. Lee Kuan Yew was able to negotiate only a nine-month delay till the end of
1971, when general elections were due in Britain.
41
But the outcome of the elections offered no
reversal of policy.
Singapore received a British aid package worth about
£
50 million, defence technology transfers
including the operation of air defence facilities, the Bloodhound surface-to-air missiles (SAMs)
deployed in Singapore, several Hunter trainer aircraft plus training for pilots in Britain and
generous terms for the transfer of British facilities in the island to the Singapore Government.
42
The AMDA was replaced by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which provided for
consultations among Singapore, Malaysia, Britain, Australia and New Zealand in the event of any
external threat to the local partners.
43
An Integrated Air Defence System linking the radar facilities
in Singapore, the air defence missile umbrella and interceptor aircraft of the FPDA partners, was
set up under an overall Australian commander based at Butterworth. The 28
th
Commonwealth
Brigade was redesignated the ANZUK brigade and relocated from Malaysia to Nee Soon Camp
in Singapore. A contingent each of helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft continued to operate
out of Tengah. There were also arrangements for RN and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) units
to rotate through Singapore. Britain formally terminated the Far East Land Forces (FARELF)
structure on 29
th
October, 1971. This was followed on 31
st
October by the Far East Air Force,
bringing an end to the whole Far East Command. By March 1976, all Australian and British
troops stationed in Singapore were withdrawn.
44
The New Zealand battalion stayed on till 1989.
The term Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)
per se
came into use only after separation fromMalaysia.
Prior to that, there had been several similar terms representing the military organisations set
up in Singapore, namely the original Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps; the Singapore Volunteer
Artillery; its eventual successor the Singapore Volunteer Corps; and in 1954, the Singapore
Military Force. Under Malaysia, the regular units, 1 and 2 SIR, were parts of the Malaysian Armed
Forces (renamed 1
st
and 2
nd
Battalions, Malaysian Infantry Regiment), while on mobilisation, the