Communist insurgency in Malaysia
Part of the Cold War and continuation of the Malayan Emergency
Malaysian Rangers, Malay-Thai border (AWM MAL-65-0046-01).JPG
Sarawak Rangers (present-day part of the Malaysian Rangers) consisting of Ibans leap from a Royal Australian Air Force Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopter to guard the Malay–Thai border from potential Communist attacks in 1965, three years before the war starting in 1968.
Date17 June 1968 – 2 December 1989
(21 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 1 day)
Location
Malay Peninsula and Sarawak
Result

Peace agreement reached

  • Communists agree to a ceasefire
  • Peace Agreement of Hat Yai signed between the communists and the governments of Malaysia and Thailand
  • Dissolution of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP)
  • Insurgency continues in Sarawak until 1990
Belligerents
  • Anti-communist forces:
  •  Malaysia
  •  Singapore
  •  Thailand
  • Supported by:
  •  United Kingdom
  •  Australia
  •  New Zealand
  •  United States
  •  Indonesia (from 1965)
  •  South Vietnam (until 1975)

Communist forces:
Malayan Communist Party

  • Malayan National Liberation Army
  • North Kalimantan Communist Party
  • Communist Party of Thailand (until 1983)
  • Supported by:
  •  China (until 1976)
     Soviet Union
  •  Indonesia (1962–1965)
  •  North Vietnam (until 1976)
  •  Vietnam (from 1976)
Commanders and leaders
  • Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah (1968–1970)
  • Tuanku Abdul Halim (1970–1975)
  • Yahya Petra of Kelantan (1975–1979)
  • Ahmad Shah of Pahang (1979–1984)
  • Iskandar of Johor (1984–1989)
  • Azlan Shah of Perak (1989)
  • Tunku Abdul Rahman
  • Abdul Razak Hussein
  • Hussein Onn
  • Mahathir Mohamad
  • Yusof Ishak
  • Benjamin Sheares
  • Devan Nair
  • Wee Kim Wee
  • Lee Kuan Yew
  • Bhumibol Adulyadej
  • Thanom Kittikachorn (until 1973)
  • Seni Pramoj (1975; 1976)
  • Kukrit Pramoj (1975–1976)
  • Kriangsak Chamanan (1977–1980)
  • Prem Tinsulanonda (1979–1988)
  • Chin Peng
  • Abdullah CD
  • Rashid Maidin
  • Bong Kee Chok
  • Ang Chu Ting
  • Phayom Chulanont #
Strength
8,000
1,000
Casualties and losses
155 killed
854 wounded
212 killed
150 captured
117 surrendered