KUALA LUMPUR: Peace cannot be secured by avoiding responsibilities or the denial of realities, a visiting top Australian general said recently.
He was echoing the words of Australia’s then prime minister Sir Robert Menzies, who twice served in office from 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966.
Australian Defence Force chief of joint operations Air Marshal Melvin E.G. Hupfeld said Menzies knew that Australia’s future would be tied to the success of its region and what happened in Asia mattered to them.
“There is sometimes a heavy price to be paid to achieve peace, which should not be taken for granted. It is better to avoid conflicts and wars, which may be inevitable at times, as it causes a lot of destruction and loss of lives,” said Hupfeld.
He was referring to the Malayan Emergency between 1948 and 1960 and the Confrontation with Indonesia between 1962 and 1966.
It was during those periods that Australia deployed 7,000 of its sailors, troops and airmen, alongside those from Britain and New Zealand.
In the process, 63 Aussie soldiers died and nearly 3,000 civilians lost their lives.
Hupfeld said the trying times shared with Malayan troops, since World War II, had helped build a closer bond with Australia.
“Australia and Malaysia’s strong relationship is founded on common interests, shared history and mutual respect.
“After 70 years, today is an opportunity to pay tribute to Malayan and Commonwealth troops who lost their lives during the conflicts.
“It has culminated with a strong bilateral defence cooperation and the Five-Power Defence Arrangement (with Malaysia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Singapore),” he said.
Hupfeld added that the joint episodes had helped nourish, nurture and encourage them to move forward for a better world.
“Malaysia and Australia have supported one another in difficult times and worked together to achieve a more secure, stable and prosperous region.
“The good cooperation and communication achieved by learning from the past, has avoided misinterpretations and misunderstandings for regional peace and stability,” he said after unveiling a ‘Roll of Honour’ plaque to commemorate Australian servicemen who died in operations in Malaysia from 1948 to 1966.
The ceremony, held at the Australian High Commission in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, was attended by Australian High Commissioner Andrew Goledzinowski and Armed Forces headquarters chief of staff Lieutenant-General Datuk Kamalruzaman Mohd Othman.
Also present were police internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani, Australia’s Joint Task Force 661 commander Air Commodore Richard Owen, Australian defence adviser Group Captain Gretchen Fryar, Britain’s defence adviser Group Captain Simon Hindmarsh and India’s defence adviser Colonel Anirudh Chauhan.