Official diplomatic relations between Malaysia and New Zealand has been established since 25 September 1957, with Malaysia remains as one of the oldest partner for New Zealand in Southeast Asia. The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has maintained its presence since the 1950s to fight alongside its allies from the threat of communism in the Malayan Emergency, Second Malayan Emergency and Sarawak Communist Insurgency. Following the path of the formation of the Malaysian federation, the NZDF also defended the British Malaya and Borneo from the Indonesian military infiltration.