Malaysian, Australian Armies Share Forest Operation Expertise In HARINGGAROO Exercise

SIBU, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian and Australian armies shared their experience and expertise in forest operations during the HARINGGAROO Series 74/2024 exercise that ended today.

The exercise, which was held for the first time in Stapang Sarawak from Oct 24 to 27, was joined by Malaysia’s 3rd Royal Ranger Regiment, with a strength of 41 officers and 324 other ranks, while the Australian army was represented by its Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB), with a strength of nine officers and 98 other ranks and witnessed them sharing their various expertise and experience in anti-insurgency warfare, especially forest operations.

“This training is the continuation of the bilateral cooperation under the Malaysian Australian Joint Defence Programme (MAJDP), with the first training taking place in 1977 as SCORPION Exercise before being renamed HARINGGAROO (Harimau-Kangaroo) Exercise.

The exercise was initially held as a show of strength to the Communist bloc in the 1970s,” the 3rd Royal Ranger Regiment said in a media statement today, adding that it was to test both armies’ readiness and prove that both armies were committed to conducting bilateral training in addition to creating understanding encompassing the implementation of joint exercises and bilateral ties between both countries.

The exercise was held in two stages, a Cross Training Exercise (CTX) and Field Training Exercise (FTX), which ended with an attack on the enemy’s temporary camp.

Civil Military Co-operation (CIMIC) activities were also conducted at Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu 15, Oya Camp, which included some landscaping and donating books to primary school pupils.

The close of the exercise was conducted by the 9th Malaysian Infantry Brigade commander, Brig Gen Ahmad Norzaini Badrun and 7th Australian Army Brigade commander, Brig Gen Giles J S Cornelia.

9th Brigade commander, Lt Col Muhammad Samzie Gusang, 3rd Royal Ranger Regiment commander, Lt Col Majani Japon, 2nd/30th Training Group Australian RCB commander, Lt Col Richard Trembath and squad commanders of the 9th Brigade were also present during the close of the exercise.

-- BERNAMA