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Australia–Malaysia relations

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Australia–Malaysia relations
Map indicating locations of Australia and Malaysia

Australia
Malaysia
Diplomatic mission
Australian High Commission, Kuala LumpurMalaysian High Commission, Canberra
Envoy
High CommissionerHigh Commissioner

Foreign relations exist between Australia and Malaysia. Australia has a high commission in Kuala Lumpur,[1] and Malaysia has a high commission in Canberra.[2] Both Australia and Malaysia are members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and often participate in military exercises together.[3]

Occasional issues such as perceived Australian influence in Southeast Asian affairs,[4] as well as the detention and execution of Australian citizens in Malaysia, further complicate relations between the two nations.[5]

History

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High Commission of Malaysia in Canberra, Australia.

The two countries have a long-standing institutional history and more people-to-people ties than any other Asian neighbour.[6] Links between Australia and Malaysia can be traced since the 18th century, the Malays participated in the pearling industry off Australia's north coast in the 19th century where their descendants today form an integral part of Darwin’s multicultural society.[7] During World War II, Australian troops were involved in the Malayan Campaign where many of its surviving troops were captured by the Japanese Army and sent to Borneo in Batu Lintang camp and Sandakan camp where they were also forced to participate in death marches, which resulted in the deaths of many Australian prisoners of war with only six of them surviving to see the war ended and subsequent liberation of the Borneo Island by Australian reinforcements.[8][9][10][11] Since then, Australian troops also involved in the Malayan War against the Communists, notably the Malayan Emergency and Second Malayan Emergency where they providing materials and equipments to Malayan security forces,[12] as well in the Malaysia's operation against the Sarawak Communist Insurgency and Indonesia's military infiltration towards its soil prior to the formation of a larger federation that includes North Borneo and Sarawak.[6][13][14][15] The formal relations between the two modern countries started in 1955.[6]

Economic relations

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Malaysia is Australia's 10th largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth A$19.2 billion in 2013.[16] The two countries commenced a free trade agreement in January 2013.[16] Major Australian exports to Malaysia include coal, aluminium, copper, crude oil, wheat and sugar, medication, zinc, dairy products, machinery and transport equipment, ferrous waste and scrap,[17] while major Malaysian exports to Australia including crude oil, refined petroleum, chemicals, fats and oils, computer, TVs, radios, telecom equipment and electronic integrated circuits, furniture, mattress and cushions as well machinery and transport equipment.[17]

  • Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Malaysia (A$ millions) since 1988.
    Monthly value of Australian merchandise exports to Malaysia (A$ millions) since 1988.
  • Monthly value of Malaysian merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988.
    Monthly value of Malaysian merchandise exports to Australia (A$ millions) since 1988.

Education relations

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Australia has established three university campuses in Malaysia. Two campuses are located in Sarawak, East Malaysia: Curtin University and Swinburne University; while one is located in Selangor, West Malaysia: Monash University. Through these campuses, more than 23,000 Malaysians enrolled in Australian institutions.[18] More than 300,000 Malaysian students have also studied in Australia.[18]

Official visits

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Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr (right) handshaking with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman (left) during Carr visit to Malaysia on 4 November 2012.

In April 2005, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made an official visit to Australia. Other Malaysian ministers undertook separate bilateral visits in the same year including the Minister of Human Resources Fong Chan Onn, Minister of Higher Education, Shafie Salleh, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Adenan Satem and Minister of Transport Chan Kong Choy.[7] The following year, Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Muhyiddin Yassin visited Australia in March 2006 to remove barriers in the halal beef export trade to Malaysia with the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) on agricultural co-operation with Australian counterpart Peter McGauran.[7] Malaysian Minister of Foreign Affairs Syed Hamid Albar visited Australia from 1–8 June 2006 and Minister of International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz visited from 31 July–8 August 2006 to attend the 13th Australia-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee meeting and to run a series of Malaysia trade promotion seminars.[7] From the Australian side, Australia's Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs De-Anne Kelly, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Warren Truss and Minister for Education, Science and Training Brendan Nelson undertook separate bilateral visits to Malaysia in 2005, while Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Mark Vaile visited the country in August 2005.[7] In July 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.[19] On 4 November 2012, following the visit made by Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr, the two countries agreed for a joint Australia-Malaysia cultural exchange program for young Australians and Malaysians to travel to each other's countries and develop a stronger understanding of each other cultures and faiths.[20] In June 2022, Malaysian-born Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited Malaysia.[21]

Security relations

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Australia and Malaysia have had a well-established tradition of military co-operation, with Australian troops has contributed significantly to Malaysia's defence since its formation.[22] As part of the alliance in Five Power Defence Arrangements, Australia plays a key role in the frequent military exercises between the countries involved.[23][24][25] The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) formerly operated the base RMAF Butterworth in Malaysia until the airbase management is transferred to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) in 1970.[26][27] As part of the FPDA, the RAAF still maintains a presence at this base to this date.[28]

Malaysia has expressed concerns on the AUKUS security pact between Australia, the UK and US, most recently during Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's visit to Malaysia. Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah told reporters he communicated Malaysia's "ongoing concern" about AUKUS spurring a regional arms race.[29]

Incidents

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Lynas operation in Malaysia and concerns of environment pollution

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In 2011, an Australian rare-earths mining company, Lynas has expressed their intention to established a plant in Pahang, Malaysia.[30] The decision was highly opposed by local residents who were living near the proposed site for the plant together with environmentalist groups and Malaysian opposition parties who has expressed their concerns over fears of radioactive contamination.[31][32][33] The Himpunan Hijau (Green Assembly) was then formed in March 2011 to protesting the Lynas rare earth project in Malaysia. Despite the protest, construction of the plant continued and it was granted temporary licence by the Malaysian authorities with the plant began its operation from December for the shipment of rare earth oxides.[30][31] Four Malaysian cabinet member of parliament (MPs) (responsible for trade, science, natural resources and health) have released a joint statement, saying the temporary licence granted to Lynas requires it to remove "all the residue" from the plant out of the country.[32] With the continuous opposition to Lynas operation in the country, several rallies has been held in Kuala Lumpur and 10 other cities in the country, as well as in 34 other countries including during the Bersih 3.0 rally held in 2012.[34][35] In 2016, the company licence renewed for another three years with a cautious review undertaken by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) of Malaysia.[36]

Refugee swap deal

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In July 2011, the two countries signed a refugee swap deal with Australia will send 800 asylum seekers to Malaysia and accept 4,000 verified refugees in return from Malaysia.[37] Most of the asylum seekers are from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Sri Lanka and usually travel to Australia through Malaysia or Indonesia.[38] The deal was however rejected and declared illegal by the High Court of Australia the following month over concerns as Malaysia had no legal guarantee to protect the rights of asylum seekers especially when the country are not a signatory to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, with many evidence has shown the mistreatment of 93,600 asylum seekers in the country including caning and denial of basic rights to the refugees, who mainly come from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan.[39]

Misinterpretation of Xenophon speech by a Malaysian media and subsequent entry denial to Malaysia

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In 2012, Australian Senator Nick Xenophon was on a fact-finding mission to Malaysia when he was caught up in anti-government protests in Kuala Lumpur.[40] Subsequently, on 2 May 2012, the New Straits Times published an article written by journalist Roy See Wei Zhi with a title header "Observer under scrutiny". The report replaced words from a 2009 speech made by Xenophon and turned it into an attack on Islam, ostensibly to pit Malay-Muslim opinion against the senator, who was a known associate of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.[41] In fact, the speech was actually an attack on scientology with his original speech is recorded in the Hansard of the Australian Senate.[42] Xenophon threatened to sue the newspaper for defamation and as a result the offending article was quickly removed from its website.[43] The gaffe sparked media outrage in both Malaysia and Australia which has greatly reinforced public perception that the media merely serve as propaganda mouthpieces for Malaysia's ruling government of Barisan Nasional against all of its political opponents.[42]

The following year on 16 February 2013, Xenophon was detained on arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport's LCCT and refused entry by the Malaysian immigration authorities.[40][44] He was deported back to Australia on a flight early the next day. Other members of Parliament of Australia cancelled their plans to travel to Malaysia while the matter was resolved.[45] The Prime Minister's Department of Malaysia confirmed that Xenophon was not part of the Australian delegation scheduled to meet Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nazri Aziz submitted to it by an aide to Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader in response to claims that it had deliberately denied entry to Xenophon.[46]

Detention of Australian journalists in Malaysia

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Two journalists from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) were detained on 13 March 2016, after attempting to question the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak over corruption allegations towards him, notably the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.[47]

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See also

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Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ "Diplomatic List and List of Representatives of International Organisations" (PDF). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia). September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  2. ^ "Official Website of High Commission of Malaysia, Canberra". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  3. ^ Kate Boswood (8 August 2008). "Engaging our interests: the Five Power Defence Arrangement and its contribution to regional security" (PDF). Department of Defence (Australia). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  4. ^ M. Rajendran (1993). Mahathir Mohamad: Prime Minister of Malaysia. IBS Buku Sdn. Bhd. ISBN 978-967-950-288-6.
  5. ^ Jan Melissen; Ana Mar Fernández (7 February 2011). Consular Affairs and Diplomacy. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 48–. ISBN 978-90-04-18876-1.
  6. ^ a b c John Funston (24 June 2013). "Australia-Malaysia relations". New Mandala. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kate Duff. "[Submission No 11] Inquiry into Australia's Relationship with Malaysia" (PDF). Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia). Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  8. ^ "The Marches". Government of Australia. Australia's War 1939–1945. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  9. ^ Nial Wheate; Gregory P. Gilbert. "Borneo 1945 - An Amphibious Success Story". Royal Australian Navy. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  10. ^ "The Australian Experience of Joint and Combined Operations: Borneo 1945". International Journal of Naval History. 26 May 2016. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Borneo Oboe campaign – Second World War [Historical Backgrounder]" (PDF). Government of Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs (Australia). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  12. ^ "Malayan Emergency, 1950–60". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Security of British Borneo [The fight against Communist terror in Sarawak]". The Age. 20 September 1952. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  14. ^ John E. Jessup (1998). An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Conflict and Conflict Resolution, 1945-1996. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 450–. ISBN 978-0-313-28112-9.
  15. ^ "Indonesian Confrontation, 1963–66". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  16. ^ a b "Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia). Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Trade Services-Australia's Trade with Malaysia [Australia's Trade with Malaysia 2008/2009]". Australian High Commission in Malaysia. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Education ties with Malaysia strengthened". Australian High Commission in Malaysia. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  19. ^ Lyndal Curtis (10 July 2008). "Rudd meets with Malaysian PM". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  20. ^ "Australia-Malaysia cultural exchange". Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia). 4 November 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  21. ^ "Australia part of Asia, minister says on visit to Malaysian birthplace". Reuters. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  22. ^ "History of the Australia – Malaysia Defence Relationship" (PDF). Australian High Commission in Malaysia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  23. ^ "Defence". Department of Defence (Australia). Australian High Commission in Malaysia. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  24. ^ "FPDA members to share intelligence to fight terrorist threats". The Star. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  25. ^ Prashanth Parameswaran (4 October 2017). "Australia's Big Asia Military Deployment Moves to Malaysia". The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 February 2018. (subscription required)
  26. ^ Opalyn Mok (23 May 2015). "How the Royal Australian Air Force transformed Butterworth through music". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  27. ^ "Royal Malaysian Air Force Base [Butterworth, Malaysia] – Australian Defence Force Facilities Rationalisation" (PDF). Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  28. ^ "RMAF Base Butterworth". Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  29. ^ Murphy, Katharine (28 June 2022). "Malaysian foreign minister says concerns remain about Aukus pact after meeting with Penny Wong". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  30. ^ a b Keith Bradsher (8 March 2011). "Taking a Risk for Rare Earths". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  31. ^ a b "Malaysians protest against rare earth refinery". The Guardian. Associated Press. 26 February 2012. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  32. ^ a b "Malaysia orders Lynas to ship out waste". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  33. ^ "Malaysia: Concerns over health & environmental impacts of Lynas rare earths mining & refinery". Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  34. ^ 千華數位文化; 商鼎數位出版; 洪秀菊; 大專／學術用書 (29 October 2014). 21世紀聯合國與全球治理. 千華數位文化. pp. 295–. ISBN 978-986-144-113-9.
  35. ^ "Malaysia convoy protests Lynas rare earths plant". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  36. ^ Ong Han Sean (3 September 2016). "Lynas' operating licence renewed for three years". The Star. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  37. ^ Jeremy Thompson (25 July 2011). "Australia, Malaysia sign refugee deal". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  38. ^ Liz Gooch (25 July 2011). "Australia and Malaysia Sign a Refugee Swap Deal". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  39. ^ Ed Davies; Amy Pyett; James Grubel; Michael Smith; Liau Y-Sing; Mark Bendeich; Ed Lane; Neil Fullick (31 August 2011). "Australia's High Court rejects Malaysian asylum-seeker deal". Reuters. Archived from the original on 13 March 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  40. ^ a b "Malaysia detains Australia senator Nick Xenophon". BBC News. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  41. ^ Roy See Wei Zhi (2 May 2012). "Observer under scrutiny". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  42. ^ a b Daniel Flitton (3 May 2012). "Xenophon verballed in Malaysia". The Age. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  43. ^ Daniel Flitton (3 May 2012). "Xenophon may sue Malaysian newspaper". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  44. ^ Sean Yoong (16 February 2013). "Malaysia denies entry to Australian senator". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  45. ^ "Xenophon detained at Malaysian airport". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  46. ^ Natalie O'Brien (16 February 2013). "Nick Xenophon detained in Malaysia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  47. ^ "ABC journalists leave Malaysia after no charges brought". Australian Associated Press. The Guardian. 15 March 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
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