Amerika Syarikat dan Konfrontasi Indonesia-Malaysia 1963-1966 (United States and Confrontations Indonesia-Malaysia 1963-1966)

Abstract

In January 1963 Indonesia launched the policy of ‘confrontation’ (Konfrontasi) towards Malaysia. The policy of Konfrontasi was designed to undermine Malaysia and to upset constituted authority in Sarawak and Sabah to a point where a settlement favourable to Indonesia can be worked out. The focus of this study is on how the United States’ policy reacted to the situation in Southeast Asia with the advent of Konfrontasi. The relationship between the United States and Malaysia reached a new stage in the period of 1963-1966. For the first time, the United States exercised an active role in Malaysia’s political affairs. The United States viewed the developments of Konfrontasi with deep concerned because it would affect the stability of this region and it indirectly involved the United States under the ANZUS (Australia, New Zealand and the United States) Treaty. At the same time, the United States wanted to strengthen the anti-Communist elements in the Indonesian administration. Both the Kennedy and Johnson administration were already concerned and preoccupied with the growth of Communism in Indochina. The United States was worried that Konfrontasi might escalate into an open war and had taken effort to encourage a peaceful solution to this dispute. This effort however, did not settle Konfrontasi.