160 ‘hand-picked’ soldiers on visit

Press, 13 March 1982, Page 6

160 ‘hand-picked’ soldiers on visit

A company of the 7th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment, was hand-picked by the Malaysian Chief of the General Staff to represent Malaysia at Southern Safari 82, the Five Power Defence Arrangement exercise being held at Lake Tekapo this month. The battalion, which was raised in 1953, has strong links with the Ist Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, based at Singapore. The Malaysian 7th Battalion paraded with the 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, in the small Malaysia town of Taiping in May, 1961, to cement their alliance in joint anti-terrorist operations. The affiliation has been officially recognised and now exists between the Malaysian unit and the . Ist Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, - after the redesignation of the New Zealand battalions. X The decision to send the company from the Malaysian 7th Battalion was made after the contingent commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Abdullah bin Salleh, visited New Zealand last year.

Ten officiers and 160 soliders of the battalion arrived in Christchurch this week

and will be at Burnham Military Camp until Southern Safari begins on March 22. “We will get on with our own thing before the exercise,” Colonel Abdullah said yesterday.

The soldiers have been training since October for the exercise, and will use the extra time in New Zealand to get used to the different conditions. / The battalion is stationed at Kuala Kubu Bahru, a permanent camp about 64

kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur. The military attache at the Malaysian Embassy in Wellington, Lieutenant-Colonel ■Tony Loone, said the Royal Malay Regiment constantly lived with anti-terrorist fighting. “The situation has improved tremendously over the last 10 to 15 years,” Colonel Loone said. The 7th Battalion was "one of the top battalions” in Malaysia; according to Colonel Loone. Colonel Abdullah said the soldiers coming to New Zealand had been briefed to expect cold weather and were very surprised when they landed, saying it was too hot. While in New Zealand the Malaysians would eat New Zealand food, although they have brought some of their own food with them, and cooks “to give a helping hand,” Colonel Abdullah said. Next week will not be ail training for the Malays, who will do some sightseeing round Christchurch and will visit the West Coast, before travelling to Lake Tekapo for the exercise. Soldiers from Australia, Britain, Singapore, and New Zealand will also take part in the exercise.