Malaya was, as several posts point out, a relatively "easy" case in which nearly everything favored COIN. So, why did it take 12 long years to end the thing favorably? (3 years after inedpendence).
Lesson: COIN ain't easy

Malaya had not only unity of effort but unity of command. Most COIN will not permit unity of command but all would permit it among USG elements.
Lesson: USG needs to have unity of command among all USG components even if this means putting the Ambassador in command of the military commander (or vice versa).

Cheers

JohnT