Managing Civil-Military Relations in Counterinsurgency Operations: A Review of the Malaysian Experiences

Abstract

This paper addresses the Malaysian Army experience in managing the civil-military relations during the involvement in counterinsurgency operations against the Communist Party of Malaya. Counterinsurgency warfare is a war involving the people therefore it is pertinent that the war be led by the civil authority being the custodian of government resources. The civil authority is in a
better position to plan, coordinate and implement all counterinsurgency activities effectively. In this respect, it does not mean that the military has no active role to play. The service of the military is still required to provide security for government development projects to be carried out successfully.