June 26, 1979

Kassim Ahmad, Malaysian Parliamentary Secretary to Foreign Ministry, says that 13,000 refugees in 60 boats were forced out into international waters in last week, raising to 55,000 number expelled in '79; Government reportedly fears that continuing stream of refugees will not find new homes elsewhere and will remain in Malaysia, upsetting balance between predominant Malay community and ethnic Chinese and Indians who make up 50% of population (S)

Gasoline shortages, which began in California and have reached crisis proportions in much of Northeast, are now beginning to be felt in other parts of country, from Gulf Coast to Great Lakes region to Pacific Northwest (M)

Pres Carter and Japanese Prime Min Masayoshi Ohira reportedly have serious reservations about EEC's proposal for 5-year freeze on oil imports; are said to favor reaffirmation by major industrialized countries of their commitment to reduce oil imports 5% this year and for more ambitious target for '80 (M)

Article on scene at Passaic, NJ, gasoline station; illus (M)

At least 5 bills have been introduced in House and Senate in recent days aimed at developing synthetic fuels, term covering wide range of oil extracted from coal, tar sand, shale oil and farm crops; cost ranges from $2 billion over next 5 years for program of price guarantees to private developers to $200 billion for a quasi-governmental corporation that would undertake research, development, production and marketing of fuels; outlook is that all or a good part of these proposals will be amalgamated into 1 bill with number of other energy initiatives included in it to stimulate conservation, solar energy and conventional oil production; enactment is not expected before well into '80; drawing (M)