WaybackWire

NEW DELHI, Tuesday.—India has recognised the new sovereign State of Singapore, it was officially announced here tonight. Britain, Australia and New Zealand also recognised the island today.

Outside the Malaysian High Commission, more than 50 Praja Socialist Party leaders marched with placards reading “Soekarno is Fascist” and “We’re with Tengku Rahman”.

In London, officials said Singapore has asked to remain in the Commonwealth and Britain will support it; all Commonwealth members must agree. The Singapore Government has made it clear that Britain may go on using her bases on the island.

In Canberra, Sir Robert Menzies said: “I feel that I need to say at the outset that no prior consultation or discussion with the Australian Government took place. But the separation having occurred, we fully accept it, and direct ourselves to the future.” Australia has offered relations at High Commissioner level.

In Wellington, Mr. Keith Holyoake said: “Since Singapore and Kuala Lumpur have agreed freely though reluctantly to separate Singapore from Malaysia rather than maintain it as a component State, we must respect that wish.” New Zealand will support Singapore’s wish to stay in the Commonwealth.

SINGAPORE, Tuesday.—Singapore will be non-aligned, the Foreign Minister, Mr. S. Rajaratnam, said at Singapore Airport today on his return from Kuala Lumpur. “When I left Singapore for the mainland a few days ago I was a Malaysian citizen. Now, on coming back, I am a Singapore national.”

Singapore will seek missions in Afro-Asian and Commonwealth countries “which accept us and recognise our independence and sovereignty”. A first aim is admission to the Afro-Asian conference in Algiers in November.

Of the separation, he said: “However necessary this tragic solution might have been, I don’t think this is a permanent and final solution for both territories.”

In the island’s first foreign affairs act of independence, Mr. Rajaratnam named Mr. Ko Teck Kin, businessman and former president of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, as High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia’s acting High Commissioner, Inche Harun bin Dato Muda Ibrahim, flew in; his office is at No. 6 Goodwood Hill.

In Kuala Lumpur, Tun Abdul Razak met the permanent secretaries of all departments. “We discussed broadly the various changes resulting from decisions taken yesterday,” he said.

SINGAPORE, Tuesday.—Mr. Lee wept today in tribute to Mr. C. V. Devan Nair, now the P.A.P.’s only representative in the Malaysian Parliament.

“I read with pride what Devan Nair said in Parliament,” he said. “I happen to know him very well.”

“He has got two sons and his wife has just bought a little house ... it means either the family separates, breaks up, or they pack up lock stock and barrel, particularly when there are going to be border passes.”

The tears glistened under the television lights and his voice broke. He bowed his head and wept, then went back to his office in City Hall.

SINGAPORE, Tuesday.—Buyers swept the Stock Exchange again: 843,000 shares changed hands in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, against 646,900 on Monday.

Trading was halted twice so that clerks could catch up, and brokers’ clerks “shouted themselves hoarse”. Talk of a possible resumption of trade with Indonesia was the “main spur”. Sin Chew Jit Poh called it a straight-line rise rarely seen in years.

The Bank of China, which Singapore has let stay open, took more than $2 million in deposits and about 50 new accounts.

Mr. Lam Thian, head of four industrial and trade associations, said: “By becoming a separate political entity, Singapore is now free to trade with any country in the world.”

Kuala Lumpur is less easy. “I sincerely hope it is not the intention of the Singapore Government to start an economic war. We will not take any action until we see what it is all about,” said the Malaysian Minister for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Lim Swee Aun. The Transport Minister, Dato Sardon bin Haji Jubir, said Malaysian Airways and the Malayan Railway would run through Singapore “as usual”.