Malaya Veteran's Commemorative Day

E aku rangatira e hui tahi nei, e te hunga hōia o te pakanga ki Malaya, ngā pouaru me a whānau, aku mihi māhana ki a koutou katoa i tenei rā whakamau māhara.  To the veterans of Malaya, the widows and the families, and all those who have gathered here, my warm greetings to you all on this day of remembrance.

I specifically acknowledge: Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, Speaker of Parliament ; Hon Nathan Guy, Minister of Veterans’ Affairs and fellow Ministers of the Crown; Ian Lees-Galloway, representing the Leader of the Opposition and fellow members of Parliament; Lt Gen Rhys Jones, Chief of the Defence Force and Service Chiefs; Lt Gen Don McIvor, President of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association; Len Knapp, President of the New Zealand Malaya Veterans’ Association, Your Excellencies Peter Chan, High Commissioner for Singapore; and Rosmidah binti Zahid, High Commissioner for Malaysia and fellow members of the Diplomatic Corps—tēnā koutou katoa.

Thank you for inviting me to speak at this reception following the inaugural commemorative service to mark Malayan Veterans Day at the National War Memorial.

This official recognition of the contribution of members of New Zealand’s Armed Forces who served in Malaya, later Malaysia, has been a long-time coming.  All three Services played key roles in Malaysia and Singapore over many years – starting with A Flight 14 Squadron in 1949.  In particular that service included responding to the Malayan Emergency in the 1950s that saw HMNZS Pukaki as our first Naval deployment there, and soldiers, at first individuals with the Fijian Battalion and then SAS Squadron and Infantry Battalions of the Army.  We also recall the Confrontation Campaign between Malaysia and Indonesia in the mid-1960s.  The New Zealand Defence Force records twenty  New Zealand service personnel lost their lives during operational service in Malaya. 

Several themes emerge from this history.  The several thousand New Zealand Defence Force personnel who served in both conflicts did so with honour and valour.  Those service personnel, represented here by the Malayan Veterans Association, were highly regarded for their professionalism and service, not only by their own commanders, but also by those leading joint Commonwealth forces. 

New Zealand’s contribution in both the Malayan Emergency and the Confrontation Campaign was a catalyst for change in the New Zealand Army.  The Army gained knowledge and professional skills in jungle combat that have been called upon many times since.  Service in Malaya set the benchmark for professional fulltime soldiering in New Zealand and demonstrated how the three New Zealand Services could work more closely together. 

The service of New Zealanders during this time also helped establish strong defence ties between New Zealand and Singapore and Malaysia that continues to this day.  Those ties are symbolised by the 1971 Five Power Defence Arrangements between Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, one of the region’s longest-lasting military relationships.  

Those ties are also symbolised by the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal, which was instituted by the King of Malaysia to recognise service by Commonwealth personnel during the Emergency and Confrontation; it is now worn with pride by more than 4072 New Zealanders.  

Finally, the service of New Zealanders during those troubling years, helped establish wider bonds with both Malaysia and Singapore.  Those ties include our on-going membership of the Commonwealth, as well as a host of business, professional and education links.  New Zealand’s relationship with Singapore and Malaysia are arguably our strongest in Southeast Asia.  Mostly though, service in Malaysia and Singapore enhanced the people-to-people linkages; many of you brought home brides, many New Zealanders have a shared heritage with that part of the world.  That we have healthy and growing bilateral relations with both nations is testament to all of the Servicemen and Servicewomen who have served there. 

As Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief, I want to acknowledge the service of New Zealand's Malayan veterans who served during the period 1949 to 1966.  I also acknowledge the families of those who served, who spent considerable lengths of time separated from their loved ones, some of whom never returned.

While the service of the Malayan veterans may not be as well-known as it should be, you served our country with professionalism, dignity and honour.  That exemplary service continues, both here and in south-east Asia, and for that we all owe you a debt of gratitude.  Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.