Representatives from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam and Canley Heights RSL arrived at Cabra-Vale Park on Thursday morning to find the memorial had been defaced with red paint, doused with a flammable liquid, and set alight.

A World War II plaque inside the park's rotunda was also splashed with paint.

Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam vice-president Chi Hoang called it a ``disrespectful and ugly act''.

``Of course the veterans are very upset and they are very disappointed,'' Mr Hoang said.

``You know that the Vietnam War was controversial, and this might have been an anti-war protest, but we're not political, we're commemorating the devotion of soldiers in war.''

Vietnamese Community in Australia NSW president Tri Vo has called for improvements to be made to the memorial.

``This is the second time and hopefully the war memorial can be improved because it's to respect the soldiers who risked their lives to fight for freedom and democracy in Vietnam,'' Mr Vo said.

The veterans group will meet with the council this afternoon to discuss security options such as security cameras and floodlights.

Canley Heights RSL president Taffy Pritchard said he was ``sick and tired'' of complaining about the park to Fairfield Council.

``The whole park was disgusting with empty bottles, garbage, grass uncut and weeds,'' he said. ``It's sacred ground down there.''

A council spokesman said a contractor should have completed the clean-up yesterday.

``It was noted that a hole had been forced in the gates to the rotunda,'' he said. ``A request for repair of this damage has been lodged and repairs will be carried out within the next two days.''

He said the park is mown monthly and rubbish is removed at the same time.

The council doesn't report graffiti to the police but does keep records.

The memorial was desecrated in April 2006 with red and white paint. A sign was hung around the Asian soldier's neck that read: ``South Vietnamese military asylum seekers go to hell''.