| Summary/Abstract |
Australian and Malaysian strategic relations have evolved since the independence of Malaya in 1957 and the formation of Malaysia in 1963. Confronted with an aggressive neighbor, Indonesia set to “crush” Malaysia during its infancy years. The United Kingdom with Australia embarked on a military expedition to aid Malaysia in fighting an “undeclared” war. Australia committed troops in Malaysia and continued to maintain a physical presence in Malaysia after the Konfrontasi ended in 1966, and later under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). China's recent assertion in the Asian region has precipitated mutual security risks for both Malaysia and Australia, and renewed interests for rigorous strategic cooperation. This article describes the power of geographical space and location, and its influence on the strategic context and logic of Australia-Malaysia strategic relationship.
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