On 18 November, 2025 in book review session with the Publisher and a team of retired professionals, the 13th Chief of Defense Forces, Jeneral Tan Sri Ismail Omar (Retired) had recalled that “After World War 11, the Federation of Malaya was formed through the unification of several former British territories, including Sabah and Sarawak. The negotiations included special guarantees of rights for Malays (including the position of HH Sultans), and the establishment of a colonial government. These development angered the Communist Party of Malaya, an organization of members who were then committed to set-up an independent, communist Malaya State. (The Malayan Emergency Revisited 1948-1960 -author Mohd. Azam Mohd Hanif Ghows)
Dato' Dr. Mahmood Abdul Kadir, revealed “The communist Party began a guerrilla insurgency, and on 18th June, 1948, the government declared a state of emergency. British efforts to suppress the uprising militarily were unpopular. However, under the smart leadership of British High Commissioner Sir Gerald Templer, the British began addressing political and economic grievances. In the early 1950s several measures were introduced systematically to facilitate independence. By the mid-1950s the rebels had become increasingly isolated, but the emergency was not formally declared over until 1960."
Chairman of KerjayaOne PLT, Dato' Seri Abdul Mutalib Dato' Seri Razak, who is the publisher of this classic pictorial history book, added “Our nation's triumph was due to a combination of many factors, but of particular importance was the role of the civilian authorities, the Defense Forces - both local and from the Commonwealth - and political will of the people who chose to live in peace and harmony and not to resort to insurgency & the armed struggle.”
2,000 copies of the said book had been distributed since 2006, and in response to people's request, the 3rd edition being reprinted specially to Malaysian youth. In welcoming this initiative, CEO Institut Masa Depan Malaysia, Azril Mohd Amin said “It is indeed timely to remind Malaysian youth of today that our nation faced an era of terror prior to our independence is the cornerstone of this book, for it was this period (1948-1960) that seen the rise of terrorism which now haunts the world. I'm amazed the panelists who participated in the book review are those real warriors who experienced the Emergency era."
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