Government Relations Australia's formal relations with Malaysia date back to 1955 when a High Commission was established in Kuala Lumpur .  Australia was one of fifteen countries to establish formal diplomatic relations with the Federation of Malaya in 1957 soon after independence .  The current relationship draws on many long-standing associations including: " parliamentary, legal and administrative systems with many similar features and joint membership of the Commonwealth; " people-to-people links including students, business councils and immigration; " regular and close consultations in a variety of policy fields such as a Ministerial-level Joint Trade Committee; " bilateral defence and security cooperation, including through the Malaysia- Australia Joint Defence Program and the Five Power Defence Arrangements . A number of activities marked the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence on 31 August 2007.  The Governor-General, His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC, represented Australia at the independence (Merdeka) celebrations in Kuala Lumpur on 31 August 2007 . in addition, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) released a bilingual photographic publication entitled Australia- Malaysia:   Celebrating 50 Years,  which chronicles some of the important events and achievements shared by Australia and Malaysia over more than five decades . Bilateral Visits Australia's relationship with Malaysia is underpinned by strong people-to-people links with a significant program of two-way high-level visits . The official visit to Australia in April 2005 by Prime Minister Abdullah - the first by a Malaysian Prime Minister in 21 years - provided an opportunity to build on long- standing cooperation in a range of areas .   A key outcome of the visit was the decision to proceed to bilateral free trade agreement negotiations .   Then Prime Minister John Howard visited Malaysia in late 2006 .   More recently in May 2007, Prime Minister Abdullah attended the launch of an exhibition of traditional Malay women's garments (kebaya) collected by his late wife, Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood, held at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne . The King of Malaysia, His Majesty Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, visited Australia from 6-10 June 2007 to participate in an Endurance Horse Race in Nanango, Queensland.  Prime Minister Abdullah attended the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Sydney on 8-9 September 2007 .   Malaysia's Minister of International Trade and Industry, Rafidah, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Salang, attended the APEC Ministerial Meeting in Sydney on 5-6 September . Five other Malaysian ministers also made working visits to Australia during 2007 . Malaysian Parliamentary Delegations visited Australia in June 2006 and June 2007, following an Australian Parliamentary Delegation visit to Malaysia in April 2006 .