Story: Asian conflicts

New Zealand troops in Sarawak, 1965

This film clip shows troops from D Company RNZIR patrolling in Sarawak during the confrontation with Indonesia in 1965. From 1963 to 1966 the Indonesian government pursued a policy of Confrontation (Konfrontasi) with the newly formed Federation of Malaysia. Indonesia sent parties of regular troops, posing as local guerrillas, into Sarawak and Sabah, the Malaysian states in northern Borneo. In 1965 New Zealand stationed units from the SAS and the 1st Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment in Sarawak. New Zealand soldiers were involved in a number of skirmishes but suffered no fatalities.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: New Zealanders in South-east Asia. National Film Unit, 1965.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Ian McGibbon, 'Asian conflicts - Shift of focus to South-East Asia', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/34535/new-zealand-troops-in-sarawak-1965 (accessed 3 May 2024)

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 Feb 2016