kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti z ænd bˈeɪst ɪn məlˈeɪə, ðə fˈɛsɚ wʌz kənsˈiːvd æz ɐ fˈɔːɹwɚd dᵻfˈɛns pˈɔɪnt fɔːɹ ɔːstɹˈeɪliə ænd nˈuː zˈiːlənd, wˌaɪl pɹətˈɛktɪŋ kˈɑːmənwˌɛlθ ˈɪntɹɛsts ɪnðə sˈaʊθiːst ˈeɪʒən ɹˈiːdʒən fɹʌm bˈoʊθ ɪntˈɜːnəl ænd ɛkstˈɜːnəl kˈɑːmjuːnˌɪst θɹˈɛts.
Created in the 1950s and based in Malaya, the FESR was conceived as a forward defence point for Australia and New Zealand, while protecting Commonwealth interests in the Southeast Asian region from both internal and external communist threats.