Selby (centre), accompanied by two other members of the Australia NMBVA, seen speaking to reporters yesterday.
KUCHING: Members of the National Malaya and Borneo Veterans Associations (NMBVA) of Australia and New Zealand are planning to visit a few sites in Bau district this week.
According to NMBVA Australia’s Southern Australia and Northern Territory branch president Brian Selby, the sites they plan to visit are where most of the members of the two associations were stationed during the years of confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia in the 1960s.
“There are a few sites in Bau which members of the two associations want to visit during our stay here. Among the places which we intend to visit are Gumbang, Stass, Serikin, Suba Buan and a few other places in the district where we were stationed in Bau during the time,” he told reporters yesterday.
Apart from visiting the sites, the Australia and New Zealand army veterans are also planning to visit three schools which they adopted in Bau, which Selby said are located in Stass, Serikin and Suba Buan.
Selby also said members of the two associations will donate funds to the three schools.
“We are glad to be able to come back here to see these places after all these years. These places bring back a lot of memories for us when were serving in the army and we are also glad that our work here during the time have contributed to the peace between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.
Members of the two associations will also attend a special event known as the Joint NMBVA Commemoration 2019 Service today at the Heroes Graves Memorial Park.
The service is held to remember their fallen comrades who lost their lives during the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia in the 1960s and celebrate the 53rd anniversary of the restoration of peace after the confrontation.
“As members of the 1960s Commonwealth forces to protect Sarawak and Sabah during the confrontation, we are proud that we played a vital role in defending every inch of Sarawak and Sabah from any Indonesian army personnel who tried to trespass the two Malaysian territories during the time,” commented Selby.
Apart from mentioning about their planned visit and service for their fallen comrades, Selby also talked about planning to compile a book or even a film about their time during the confrontation.
Selby also told reporters about their plan to construct a proper trail to connect the historical sites where the veterans were stationed during the confrontation in Bau district and erecting a plaque along the trail.
The Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation or Borneo confrontation (also known by its Indonesian/Malay name, Konfrontasi) was a violent conflict from 1963 to 1966 that stemmed from Indonesia’s opposition to the creation of Malaysia.
The confrontation was an undeclared war with most of the action occurring in the border area between Indonesia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo (known as Kalimantan in Indonesia).
The conflict was characterised by restrained and isolated ground combat, set within tactics of low-level brinkmanship.
Peace negotiations were initiated during May 1966 before a final peace agreement was ratified on August 11, 1966.
Also present during the interview was Sarawak Tourism Federation Heritage Development Committee chairman Dato Lim Kian Hock.