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.
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.