Kuala Lampur, Aug. 25 -- When Australian troops first set foot in Malaya during the Emergency in 1948, few could have foreseen that this relationship would blossom into one of the most durable security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. Seven decades later, Malaysia and Australia remain bound not only by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), but also by an evolving Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) that now compels both sides to adapt to the demands of a changing regional order.

The recent Philippine-Australian joint exercises, which simulated the retaking of an island, have drawn headlines. Yet, Malaysia need not replicate Manila's approach. Instead, Kuala Lumpur and Canberra should seize this moment to localise their joint...