April 24 (Reuters) - York City and Rochdale on Friday issued a joint call for an overhaul of promotion rules ahead of a title-deciding clash on the final day of England's fifth-tier National League, with a place in League Two at stake.
Over the years: Edmunds reflecting on her family’s history in Malaysia as well as her time here with the RAAF. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia was never just another overseas posting for Group Captain Belinda Edmunds – it was the land of her grandmother’s birth, her family’s wartime survival and now, her own military service.
Growing up in Australia, she had long heard stories about her family’s roots in British-ruled Malaya but only understood their weight upon arriving here. Her great-grandfather, a British civil engineer, helped build roads, bridges and aerodromes across Malaya and Singapore in the early 20th century. His work was cut short during the Japanese invasion and occupation, when he was captured and imprisoned as a prisoner of war, enduring harsh conditions that claimed many lives.
At the same time, his wife and children, including Edmunds’ grandmother, who was born in Ipoh, fled Kelantan, eventually escaping by ship to Scotland. Fragments of that past remain in old newspaper clippings Edmunds keeps, including one recounting how her grandmother, then a teenager, rescued stray dogs during a period of unrest.
“It was something I didn’t fully appreciate until I came here,” Edmunds said in an interview yesterday. In 1999, the year she joined the Royal Australian Air Force , an Australian F-111 aircraft crashed on Pulau Aur in Johor during a military exercise, killing two crew members. She was in Brisbane at the time and recalled how the incident resonated widely, particularly as the pilots had just performed at a major air show there.
“It felt very close to home,” Edmunds said, noting that she later came to know the families of the crew. After becoming the first female Australian commanding officer at the Royal Malaysian Air Force base in Butterworth in 2023, she visited Pulau Aur. Hiking through dense jungle, she joined a small group to clean the memorial plaque and pay tribute to the fallen airmen.
She was equally struck by the island’s small community, including schoolchildren who help care for the site.
“It’s incredibly special,” she said, adding that the visit included time with the students, bringing donations and sharing activities. Stationed in Butterworth for two years, she worked closely with Malaysian counterparts, supporting operations and joint activities while building relationships.
“Everyone talks about the food, but for me, it’s the people,” Edmunds said, adding that her children settled easily into school and daily life. Now based in Kuala Lumpur as a defence attache at the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, she hopes to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, particularly in training, emerging technologies and security challenges.
“It’s an incredible career. You build lifelong friendships and experience things you wouldn’t anywhere else. ” While acknowledging past challenges, Edmunds said progress had been made with greater inclusivity and support.
“I don’t see it as a male-dominated environment. I see it as a place with opportunities for everyone. ”
Malaysia Military Service Family History World War II Japanese Occupation Royal Australian Air Force Pulau Aur Butterworth Defence Cooperation Women In Defence
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