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Pada Rabu lepas, saya berpeluang untuk bertemu dengan mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia keempat, iaitu Y.Bhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sewaktu lawatan beliau ke kediaman Pesuruh Jaya Tinggi British di Kuala Lumpur. Antara lain, lawatan itu adalah bagi beliau menyampaikan pesanan takziah ke atas pemergian mantan Perdana Menteri Wanita British pertama iaitu Lady Thatcher. Mesej Tun Mahathir serta komen-komen yang diterima menerusi rangkaian media sosial kami membuatkan saya terfikir mengenai persepsi Malaysia terhadap Lady Thatcher. 

Kebanyakan orang Malaysia juga mungkin akan masih mengingati pesanan Tun Mahathir mengenai polisi ‘Buy British Last’ yang diumumkan pada October 1981. Pada waktu tersebut, Tun telah mengumumkan bahawa Malaysia hanya akan membeli barangan buatan British sebagai langkah terakhir jika tidak terdapat sebarang produk dari Negara lain.

Dasar ini antara lain, diperkenalkan sebagai protes ke atas tindakan Kerajaan British pada waktu itu yang menaikan yuran pelajar asing serta keputusan yang diambil oleh London Stock Exchange.  Pada awal tahun 1982, Tun juga telah memperkenalkan dasar ‘Pandang Ke Timur’ bagi tujuan mempelajari pengalaman Jepun memperkasakan ekonomi mereka.

Walaubagaimanapun, keregangan hubungan di antara dua negara ini, tidak bertahan lama. Pada April tahun 1983, Tun Mahathir telah menarik balik arahan polisi beliau setelah satu lawatan di adakan oleh Tun bagi tujuan menjernihkan kembali hubungan di antara kedua pemimpin tersebut.

Hubungan rengang di antara kedua negara  berakhir secara rasmi apabila Lady Thatcher membuat satu kunjungan rasmi ke Malaysia pada tahun 1985. Ini adalah lawatan pertama seorang Perdana Menteri Britain ke Malaysia selepas Malaysia mencapai kemerdekaan.

Saya berasa tersentuh dengan gaya penggunaan bahasa beliau apabila melihat kembali kepada semua teks ucapan yang dilakukan oleh Lady Thatcher sewaktu lawatan beliau ke Malaysia. Ucapan-ucapan tersebut  menggambarkan keutuhan hubungan dua hala Malaysia dan UK serta padangan peribadi beliau yang menyanjungi peribadi kental Tun Mahathir.

Dalam perkara yang sama, kedua pemimpin tersebut juga telah mengadakan perbincangan yang menarik mengenai polisi antarabangsa yang berkaitan dengan Komanwel serta triti Antartik. Pada tahun 1989, Tun Mahathir telah bersetuju untuk Malaysia menjadi hos kepada Persidangan Komanwel. Dalam perkara ini, LadyThatcher berpendapat persidangan Komanwel ini adalah yang terbaik yang pernah beliau hadiri.

Saya teruja dengan satu pandangan yang pernah dinyatakan oleh Lady Thatcher mengenai Dasar Pandang ke Timur yang diperkenalkan oleh Tun.  Beberapa tahun lepas, ada ramai di Britain yang mengeluh mengenai polisi Malaysia yang menggalakan ahli perniagaan mereka untuk memandang ke Timur. Namun TYT memberitahu saya, memandang ke arah timur itu tidaklah bermaksud hanya membeli dari Timur.

Namun dengan kesungguhan yang ditunjukan oleh Malaysia hari ini untuk menerima kembali industri British, saya yakin ini akan banyak mengundang perniagaan British yang mahu melabur di Malaysia. Dan satu lagi TYT, walaupun TYT akan memandang ke Timur atau mungkin melancong ke Timur, namun TYT tetap akan sampai ke Barat juga.

Pada pandangan saya, tidak keterlaluan jika dikatakan bahawa Lady Thatcher dan Tun Mahathir mempunyai banyak persamaan di antara mereka. Kedua-duanya dilahirkan pada tahun yang sama (1925) dan mempunyai latarbelakang sederhana. Kedua-duanya merupakan Perdana Menteri selebriti pertama di dunia dengan persona media yang menjangkau batas negara. Mereka juga individu berkarisma dan patriotik serta dianggap mempunyai pemikiran tersendiri. Tidak boleh dinafikan bahawa kedua-duanya memainkan peranan penting dalam melakar sejarah negara.

Tidak dapat dinafikan juga bahawa kedua-dua negarawan ini saling menghormati di antara satu sama lain. Di dalam autobiografinya, Lady Thatcher mengatakan: ‘…Saya mempunyai hubungan yang baik dengan Dr. Mahathir dan menghormati beliau. Beliau tabah,bijak dan praktikal. Visinya juga sangat jelas.

Tun Mahathir juga menulis dalam buku beliau: ‘Secara peribadi, saya mempunyai hubungan yang baik dengan Baroness Thatcher… Beliau  telah melakukan sesuatu yang menakjubkan dalam memulihkan semangat Britain. Beliau melihat negaranya seperti saya melihat Malaysia. Kami berdua mengimpikan negara kami untuk berjaya.’

Justeru, setelah 28 tahun semenjak kunjungan pertama Lady Thatcher, di aras manakah kedudukan hubungan dua hala UK-Malaysia sekarang berada?

Pada pandangan saya, hubungan di antara kedua negara kita adalah berada di tahap yang terbaik. Kita telah menyaksikan lebih banyak kunjungan Diraja dan Menteri dari UK dalam dua tahun yang lepas berbanding dengan dua dekad sebelum ini. Kita juga berada di atas landasan yang betul untuk terus mencapai kadar pelaburan dan perdagangan dua hala yang terbaik.

Ucapan Lady Thatcher amat bersesuaian di dalam menyimpulkan hubungan di antara kedua negara kita: ‘…Malaysia adalah rakan yang tersendiri: sebuah negara merdeka yang mempunyai tempat istimewa di hati kami. Justeru, harapan kita adalah untuk terus menjalinkan hubungan sama rata serta persahabatan yang kukuh di masa-masa akan datang’

Anda dijemput untuk berkongsi mesej belasungkawa di laman Facebook kami. Pihak kami akan mengumpul semua mesej anda dan akan menghantarnya kepada keluarga Lady Thatcher.

This Blog is also available in Bahasa Malaysia.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir signing a condolence book in memory of Lady Thatcher

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir when he came to the High Commissioner’s residence to write a message in a condolence book to mark the sad passing of Lady Thatcher. Tun Mahathir’s message and some of the comments on our social media channels got me thinking about how Lady Thatcher’s was perceived in Malaysia.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Mahathir’s message

Most Malaysians remember Tun Mahathir’s Buy British Last’ policy. In October 1981, Tun Mahathir announced that Malaysia would ‘buy British when it is absolutely necessary, when… prices and services are way ahead otherwise… we will show a definite preference for non-British sources.’ This was instigated partly because of the British Government’s decision to charge higher fees for overseas students, but also because of decisions taken by the London Stock Exchange. In early 1982, Tun Mahathir also announced his ‘Look East’ policy with the aim of learning from Japan’s experience.

The stand-off between the UK and Malaysia didn’t last very long. In April 1983, Tun Mahathir withdrew his policy directive following a thawing of relations with Lady Thatcher during a visit to London the previous month. And UK-Malaysia rapprochement was finally sealed during Lady Thatcher’s historic visit to Malaysia in April 1985 – the first official visit by a British Prime Minister following independence.

Looking at the speeches that Lady Thatcher delivered during that three-day visit, I was struck by the heartfelt language used to describe the warmth of the Malaysian people, the strength of the bilateral relationship, and her personal admiration for Tun Mahathir. It was also clear that the leaders had some fascinating foreign policy discussions including on the importance of the Commonwealth and the Antarctic Treaty. Tun Mahathir eventually agreed to host the Commonwealth Summit in 1989 – a Summit that Lady Thatcher thought was the best that she had ever attended.

I was amused by Lady Thatcher’s typically witty retort on Tun Mahathir’s Look East policy: ‘A few years ago, some of our less robust spirits shuddered when they heard you exhorting your businessmen to look East. You told me this afternoon that “look East” did not mean “buy only from the East”… With the evidence which you provided this afternoon that British industry is really welcome here, I am sure that British business will want to invest in the opportunities Malaysia offers and although, Prime Minister, you may sometimes look East and sometimes may travel East, if you look far enough East and travel far enough East, you always come to the West!

I think it’s fair to say that in many respects Lady Thatcher and Tun Mahathir were quite similar. They were born in the same year (1925) and came from humble beginnings. They were perhaps the world’s first celebrity Prime Ministers with personas through the media which went beyond their nation’s borders. They were also charismatic and patriotic individuals but were often perceived as being single-minded. It is undeniable that they were both responsible for defining periods in their nation’s histories.

And there is also no doubt that there was mutual respect between the two leaders. In Lady Thatcher’s autobiography, she wrote ‘…I got on rather well with Dr Mahathir and developed an increasing respect for him. He was tough, shrewd and practical. He had a refreshingly matter-of-fact outlook.’

Tun Mahathir was equally effusive in his book: ‘Personally I got on well with Baroness Thatcher… She has done wonders reviving an exhausted Britain. She looked upon her country as I look upon Malaysia. We both want our countries to succeed.’

So, some 28 years following Lady Thatcher’s visit, where do UK-Malaysia relations stand?

I would say that they have never been stronger or more beneficial to both countries. We have had more Royal and Ministerial visits in the last two years than in the previous two decades, and we’re on target to achieve record levels of bilateral trade and investment.

I think Lady Thatcher words have never been more appropriate: ‘…Malaysia is a particular friend: an independent country which has a special place in our hearts. We share your wish for a partnership between equals; a true partnership for the future…’

Let me know what you think and please feel free to post your condolence messages on our Facebook page. We will collate all of the messages and send them to Lady Thatcher’s family.

I’m delighted that Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad, has kindly agreed to write a guest blog for the British High Commission to mark International Women’s Day 2013. This year’s theme is ‘The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum’. As one of Malaysia’s foremost advocates for gender equality, I couldn’t think of a better-informed person to write this blog. As always, I look forward to receiving your comments.

Over to you Datin…

Listening to a top female banker on the radio one day, I heard the host ask the inevitable question when career women are interviewed. “How”, she asked, “ do you combine your career with being a wife and mother?”

I rolled my eyes at what is never asked of men. Then I heard the banker reply, “I am supremely well-organised. I plan all of my children’s meals and activities a week ahead of time.”

On the one hand I had to admire her efficiency because obviously it contributes very much to her success. But on the other hand, I could not recall a single instant when a man would have needed to answer the same question, not least because he has a wife at home who would organize all that for him.

Therein lies the perpetual dilemma for women, finding ways to do two jobs well when men only have to do one.

Undoubtedly in more advanced countries, these dilemmas are being alleviated; women are allowed flexible working arrangements, get long maternity leave so that they have time to organize themselves and most importantly male partners and husbands who pitch in to help. In Malaysia, women are still waiting for things to change.

It would be untrue to say that there have been no positive developments at all in Malaysia over the years. In 2001 the Federal Constitution was amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of a citizen’s sex. More recently crèches have been built in government work places and female civil servants are now entitled to 90 days’ maternity leave, up from the previous sixty days.

But anomalies remain. Despite the Constitutional amendment, women in the private sector can still be discriminated against, as in the case of female flight attendants on the national airline whose flying careers are not as long as their male counterparts’. Furthermore private sector workers are subject to the vagaries of their own companies’ employment policies. Thus not all enjoy the same benefits as the public sector workers.

Which raises an interesting question: aren’t women in the public sector and the private sector equal citizens under the Constitution?

The other strange dichotomy is of course that between Muslim and non-Muslim women. In the area of personal laws, different courts, civil courts for non-Muslims and syariah courts for Muslims, separate Malaysian citizens. Within this system, Muslim women suffer the most disadvantages, having to endure the indignities of polygamy, and inheritance laws that give more to their brothers.

Not that it was always this way. In 1984, Malaysia had the best Muslim family laws in the world. While granting that some religious customs such as polygamy cannot be wholly forbidden, various laws were enacted to mitigate the worst effects on women. No Muslim man could take on another wife without the expressed written permission of his first wife. He had to persuade judges that he had good reason to marry another and that his first wife and family would not suffer a drop in living standards as a result of it.

However over the past three decades, changes, mostly stealthily, have been made to these laws to erode these protections for women. In the name of ‘gender neutrality’, men were given the same rights as women, but women did not enjoy the same rights as accorded to men. Women found the court system increasingly unfriendly, being unable to obtain divorces or maintenance for themselves and their children while men could easily divorce their wives, sometimes even by SMS. Where once her earnings and property remained her own, men could now lay claims on them, while at the same time denying her her share of mutual property obtained during the marriage. Court-ordered settlements are not enforced, leaving many single mothers destitute or forced to find work to support themselves and their children.

These are the injustices that the organization that I am part of, Sisters in Islam, works to redress. Every day we face many women whose lives have been made miserable because of these laws. Yet there are those who insist that these laws can never be changed because they are of ‘divine’ origin. This is a notion that we reject, for the simple reason that Islam, like other religions, cannot be founded on injustice. We believe that these man-made laws should address the realities of women’s lives and seek to alleviate their problems, not aggravate them.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2013 is The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum. Our lawmakers may not appreciate it just yet but with more educated Malaysian women, the old agenda of allowing such injustices to prevail may soon run its course.

What does a Diplomat do? My friends and family often ask me this question, and it’s not so easy to answer. The Oxford English Dictionary describes diplomacy as “…the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations” and a Diplomat as someone who “…typically represents a country abroad“.

But, of course it’s a lot more subtle than that. It’s about building relationships and understanding cultures; it’s about gathering information and influencing decision makers; and it’s about promoting our national interests and keeping our people safe.

In Uganda, this meant developing and nurturing relationships with individuals from a relatively small pool of government officials, media contacts and NGO workers. Accessing the views of ordinarily people was far more challenging. It was almost impossible to understand what an individual in one of the Internally Displaced Persons camps thought of the peace process without making a dangerous journey of over six hours to the northern reaches of the country. Few diplomats managed to do it.

You could argue that this was one of the reasons why it took the world so long to realise how bad the situation was in that part of Africa.

But, as anyone with access to the Internet will tell you, the game has changed. Anyone anywhere can find out about an incident in any part of the world through a Google search, a You Tube video, or an update on Wikipedia. Invisible Children’s Kony 2012 You Tube video received over 96 million hits. Imagine how difficult it would have been to disseminate this story to 96 million people using a phone, fax or even a newspaper.

And if we ever needed proof of the power of social media, we only have to look back to the Arab Spring of 2011 when these digital tools were used to topple authoritarian regimes across north Africa. As one activist in Cairo succinctly put it: ‘we use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world”.

Just as the media has had to adapt and embrace ‘citizen journalism’, diplomats also have to evolve as well. This means that we have to work even harder to uncover the truth about an issue and to develop those relationships which will genuinely make a difference. There will never be a replacement for the confidential one to one interactions with people and we will struggle to provide high quality consular support to distressed nationals through a Skype link but the digital revolution presents incredible opportunities.

As our Ambassador Tom Fletcher in Lebanon said recently, ‘…we need to stop having the debate as to whether or not to be part of the digital revolution. That is like a 19th century farmer debating whether or not to be part of the industrial revolution. This is happening all around us, with or without diplomats. No-one controls this space. It presents threats as well as opportunities. But so did the printing press, the telephone, air travel.’

The Foreign Office has set itself the challenging objective of being one the world’s leading users of digital media to enhance foreign policy. In December 2012, we launched our digital strategy with a commitment to using digital tools in every aspect of our work. Have a look at some examples of where it is already having an impact.

The argument for engaging with a digital audience could not be stronger than in Malaysia. Nearly 90% of all Malaysians are online and 48% of the population has a Facebook account – the highest by some distance in south east Asia.

Moreover, many Malaysians complain to me that they have difficulty accessing balanced news coverage given Government control over much of the local print and TV media.  This might help to explain Malaysia’s latest ranking of 145 out of 179 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. As a result, they rely on the internet and more informal channels for information and analysis.

So what is the High Commission doing to engage this audience?

We have made a big push on our existing social media channels – more unique footage of our Facebook page; more updates on our website; and more interesting tweets on our Twitter feed. You may also have seen some of our recent You Tube videos on the Royal Visit last September and on our Chevening Scholarships.

However, we know we need to do more.

That’s why I’m really pleased to tell you that the High Commissioner, Simon Featherstone, has launched his own Twitter account, @HCSFeatherstone. You will be able to hear about his life as the High Commissioner in Malaysia and you will be able to quiz him on any aspect of British foreign policy. I know he’s really looking forward to engaging with you. You can even ask him about his golf handicap!

Before I end this blog, I wanted to leave you with one last thought. Most diplomats choose this career path because we want to make a difference in the countries where we are posted and to create opportunities for people back home. But we can only do this if people are willing to engage with us. The internet has given us an ideal medium to hear your messages but it’s what you and we say that really matters.

The gas plant and town of In Amenas in Algeria. Photograph: Handout/Reuters

For one Malaysian family, 2013 has started in the worst possible way. Mr Chong Ngen Chung and many others, including from the UK, have become the latest victims  in what our Prime Minister has rightly described as a ‘…generational struggle against an ideology which is an extreme distortion of the Islamic faith, and which holds that mass murder and terror are not only acceptable but necessary’.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the High Commission are with Mr Chong Ngen Chung’s family  at this difficult time. We also hope that the whereabouts of Mr Tan Pin Wee can be established quickly so that his family may be able to move forward.

I want to add that I only have admiration for the Malaysian team in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the Embassy in Algiers who have been working tirelessly on this crisis since it began.

The four-day siege at the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria has shown that the threat from Al-Qa’ida and those who support its warped ideology has not gone away. The threat has evolved – more decentralised, more franchised – but the extremists still seek to take advantage of areas with weak political institutions and where there are people with long-standing grievances just as they did in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and more recently in Somalia and Yemen.

I know from my own experiences in Iraq and Uganda the impact that extremist ideology can have on a vulnerable population. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime reigned with an iron fist over the Sunni, Shia’a and Kurdish population. The Al‑Qa’ida affiliate which filled the political and security vacuum after his defeat sought to impose its extremist ideology through a poisonous concoction of criminality, propaganda and terror.

In Uganda, the government’s war against the Lord’s Resistance Army, who wish to create a theocratic state based on the Ten Commandments, has raged for over 25 years. In that time, Joseph Kony’s militia has been responsible for the deaths of thousands, the recruitment of over 60,000 child soldiers, and the displacement of almost 2 million people from across Uganda, DR Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

These two examples come from polar ends of the religious spectrum but show in equal measure the difficulties that governments and communities face in defeating extremism in its various guises.

I agree with our Prime Minister that the evolving terrorist threat requires an international response which tackles the security environment; addresses people’s political grievances; and combats the propagation of extremist ideology.

People will have their own opinions on the first of these; but there can be little debate on the importance of elected, accountable governments who work together to prevent the extremists from stealing the centre ground.

And that is why Prime Minister Najib’s initiative of a Global Movement of Moderates resonated with people around the world. Prime Minister Najib said in the UN in September 2010 that ‘… The real issue is not between Muslims and non-Muslims but between the moderates and extremists of all religions, be it Islam, Christianity or Judaism. Across all religions we have inadvertently allowed the ugly voices of the periphery to drown out the many voices of reason and common sense…We must, and I repeat, we must urgently reclaim the centre and the moral high ground that has been usurped from us. We must choose moderation over extremism. We must choose negotiations over confrontation. We must choose to work together and not against each other. And we must give this effort utmost priority for time is not on our side.’

I am really pleased that that our Prime Minister is going to be using the UK’s Presidency of the G8 this year to ensure that tackling terrorism is at the top of the agenda. I hope that by working together with countries like Malaysia, we can minimise the number of families around the world who have to deal with such heartbreaking news.

I board a flight this evening to spend Christmas with my wife’s family in Brisbane and I finally have a chance to reflect on what was, by any measure, the most extraordinary year for the UK-Malaysia bilateral relationship. A year which has seen our links across virtually all sectors, from education to trade, grow to unprecedented levels. A year that has seen us firmly deliver the message that ‘Britain is back’.

Some people might say that we have been fortunate, after all, this was the year that London hosted the Olympics and Paralympics, and the year that Her Majesty The Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. I would have to agree -  these events have helped to focus the world’s attention on the UK. But, you need more than symbolic events to make a real difference. You need the dedication of people who are willing to think creatively and to stretch their imaginations to make sure that these occasions have a lasting positive impact on people’s lives.

I have seen this happen throughout the year and I am incredibly proud of what the High Commission has achieved. Allow me to reminisce for a moment.

The Prime Minister’s visit in April, the first by a British Prime Minister for nearly two decades, demonstrated in no uncertain terms our commitment to rebuilding a neglected relationship with an old friend. I was struck by the event at Nottingham University’s Malaysia Campus where the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Najib, the leaders of two of the world’s most diverse nations, stood side-by-side and condemned the curse of extremism. Hopefully, next year, we will see the Global Movement of Moderates really begin to have an impact on the global stage.

The two leaders set a challenging target of doubling bilateral trade to £8bn by 2016 and work is already underway to ensure that we succeed. I think it’s worth highlighting the enormous investment by SP Setia in the Battersea Power Station site and the recent order for 100 A320 aircrafts by AirAsia. But it hasn’t all been in one direction. Rolls Royce just signed a £500m contract with Malaysia Airlines to service the A380 engines.

On the security side, I want to mention the vital role that Malaysia played in securing the Mindanao Peace Agreement between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Malaysia’s role as the facilitator of the talks could provide a blueprint for dealing with other conflicts in the region.

Undoubtedly the highlight of the year for all of us was the visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Even now, everyone that we meet in KL recollects their personal experience of speaking to the couple. They really seem to have touched people’s hearts. For me, there are three abiding memories: the Duchess’s moving conversation with Zakwan Anuar at Hospis Malaysia; the serene and spiritual atmosphere as the couple visited Assyakirin Mosque; and the huge crowds lining the street around Lahad Datu airport even though this part of programme was supposed to have been kept secret for security reasons. Let’s also not forget the High Commissioner video inviting the public to KLCC park which generated nearly 10,000 hits!

The tragic death of young Zakwan in early October touched all of us at the High Commission and I know that the Duke and Duchess were deeply saddened by the news. Our hearts and prayers will be with his family and friends over the holiday period.

Many people ask what are the direct benefits of royal visits of this kind and I agree that it is often difficult to quantify. However, I think it’s important to mention two things. In conjunction with the visit, the Sabah Government announced an expansion of the network of protected forests in Sabah to an area larger than that of greater London. And the Duke and Duchess’s visit to Hospis Malaysia helped to kick-start Malaysia’s national paediatric palliative care programme, which will hopefully revolutionise the support given to young people suffering from life-limiting illness. I should also add that the British Malaysia Chamber of Commerce raised RM 210,000 (£ 42,000) for Hospis Malaysia through the business lunch that they hosted for Their Royal Highnesses.

So what about next year? Can we maintain the same level of ambition? In short: yes! There is so much to look forward from the hotly anticipated elections in the early part of the year to the Malaysia-inspired World Islamic Economic Forum being held in London next October – the first time that it is taking place outside of the Islamic World. We can also look forward to the largest ever contingent of Malaysian Chevening Scholars going to the UK – the programme is now the third biggest in the world but hurry if you haven’t already submitted your application as the window closes on 2 January 2013.

So with that, can I wish you all the very best for 2013? I look forward to being in touch in the New Year!

What would you say if I told you that you could receive an all-expenses paid scholarship to a world-renowned British university and have the chance to join a global network of future leaders from a range of fields and industries? You would want to know more, wouldn’t you?

Well, the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has just launched the application window for the 2013 Chevening Scholarships programme. The Chevening programme, funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has been running since 1983 and operates in 116 countries worldwide. The Malaysian edition is one of the largest and offers nearly 30 scholarships; the 2012 scholars are going to be studying subjects as varied as climate change and competition law in cities as far apart as Edinburgh and Oxford.

Before I point you in the right direction to find out more about the application process and what it’s like to be a Chevening scholar, I wanted to dispel a couple of myths.

First, let me be clear that whilst Chevening is a prestigious programme for future leaders, we are looking for good candidates from a variety of backgrounds with a range of qualifications and experiences. Second, we are not solely interested in people wishing to study humanities. This year we are especially keen to receive strong applications from scientists and engineers. And finally, we cover the costs of everything: your tuition fees, air ticket, living allowance and student visa.

It’s a great deal, isn’t it?

But don’t just take my word for it. Have a look at the video clip below and the mini-blog from Niki Cheong, who is currently studying for an MA at King’s College London. If you do want to find out more, please go to www.chevening.org and remember, the Malaysian application window runs from 29 October 2012 to 2 January 2013. Good luck! 

Mini-blog by Niki Cheong, Chevening Scholar 2012-13

“Autumn has well and truly arrived, the clocks went back an hour to mark the end of daylight savings last weekend and darkness envelopes the old smoke by 5pm. Yet, after a long lunch yesterday with friends visiting from Kuala Lumpur, I stood right in the middle of the famed Covent Garden and thought about how grateful I am to be able to enjoy a sunny autumn’s day in London.

If you had asked me on the last day of my job as Editor of R.AGE, the youth portal for Malaysia’s largest English daily, The Star, last year if I could believe that I would be living in London a couple of weeks later, I probably couldn’t. This despite the reality that it was going to happen, thanks to the British Chevening Scholarship that I had been awarded alongside 13 others. However, it was all surreal for me, even that close to take off date, because studying in London had been a childhood dream (prior to this, it never happened as I couldn’t afford it).

Then there was the fact that I was also in my early 30s, having spent almost a decade back home in journalism, and people were telling me – when I told them about my intention to apply for the scholarship – that this year off might disrupt my career.

Now, a year on and having just submitted my dissertation for my MA in Digital Culture and Society at King’s College London, I can’t believe that I spent those (very few) minutes even contemplating those comments. I have no regrets.

I may not know what my career options are like when I’m back home in Malaysia, but for me, that’s the least of the worries right now. This is because I know that my experience living here in the past year has equipped me with so much more life experiences, and studying here has given me more skills and knowledge that I had before.

Yes, I mention about “living” first because I am the sort of person who believes that while education gives you a solid foundation, it is life skills and experiences that shape who you are, not just as a person but also the quality of the work you produce.

The vibrancy of London has been nothing but enriching. Over the past year, I have been able to immerse myself in the many cultural experiences here through the arts, foods and many festivals that are constantly happening across the city. By attending events around the city (in my case, mostly digital-related ones), I have met and built a network of connections that I would never have had the opportunity before.

Academically, I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience at King’s. My small class meant that I was able to engage with each and every classmate of mine who come from all over the world and from different backgrounds – film, law, fashion and more. Then there are the frivolous stuff, including the fact that the university’s library looks like it was part of the set of a Harry Potter movie (trivia – our Reading Room in the library was where Professor Dumbledore’s office was shot).

There is much more I can gush about my life in London of course, but those are probably for another post. This year too was a fantastic year to live in this city, especially with Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and of course, the London 2012 Olympic Games both of which I was able to enjoy!

Being awarded the British Chevening scholarship has not only given me the chance to improve my skills and learn more academically, it has also given me life experiences that I could only dream about. And yes, in that sense, it made my dreams come true.”

As I sit on the most beautiful stretch of white sand on Pulau Redang, I finally have time to reflect on what was, by any measure, the most extraordinary of weeks.

I am feeling a strange mix of exhilaration and exhaustion: exhilaration because I think we organised a royal visit that was rich in diversity and colour; and exhaustion because, for four months, we put our heart and soul into making this the best visit possible.

But, to be honest, I am also feeling rather sad – it’s hard to believe that it’s over and that I’ll no longer have to worry about security within the confines of Hospis Malaysia; or barriers in KLCC Park; or helicopters into Danum Valley. I think I have a case of post-visit blues…

That said, I also feel incredibly proud of the High Commission team. Virtually every single member of staff participated in some form throughout a programme that took the Duke and Duchess almost 2,000 miles across Malaysia.

The programme started at KL International Airport, where the couple was greeted on arrival by Senator A. Kohilan Pillay, the Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister. News of the couple’s arrival had clearly filtered through to passengers waiting to check in for their flights as there were hundreds of people lining the departure route. My lasting memory was turning around and seeing a huge triangle of security guards following behind us!

The first proper engagement in the programme was lunch with the Prime Minister at Seri Perdana. This was remarkable for two reasons: the couple managed to keep their composure when faced with the challenge of trying durian for the first time; and also, the amazing musical performances of children from Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s Permata Seni charity.

That afternoon, the Duke and Duchess visited Hospis Malaysia, where, together with Her Royal Highness Raja Zarith, the Sultanah of Johor, they witnessed the launch of the national paediatric palliative care programme by the Minister of Health.

The Duchess delivered an inspiring speech – her first overseas – and said that through her patronage of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospises, she had learnt that ‘delivering the best possible palliative care to children is vital.  Providing children and their families with a place of support, care and enhancement at a time of great need is simply life changing.  With effective palliative care lives can be transformed.’

The visit to Hospis Malaysia provided one of the highlights of the entire visit for me. Their Royal Highnesses took part in a wet-brick illustration session with young patients, many of whom had illnesses in advanced stages. The children’s reaction to seeing the Duke and Duchess brought a tear and a smile to everyone in the room.

One particular patient, Zakwan Anuar, a teenage leukaemia sufferer, stole the Duchess’s heart – his mother said that he had put off a blood transfusion so that he could see the couple and that his reaction today was as if his leukaemia had gone. If ever evidence was needed of the couple’s unique impact on people’s lives, this was it.

That evening, the Duke and Duchess attended a wonderful state dinner at Istana Negara. Their Majesties presented Their Royal Highnesses with some incredible gifts including a stunning Kris, a Malaysian ceremonial dagger, and a framed collage of photos taken during His Majesty The Agong’s visit to London in 1974.

The following morning, the couple met High Commission staff and their families. My two-year old son was lucky enough to help in handing over a bouquet to Her Royal Highness. I’m sure that he’ll look back at the photos in a few years’ time with great pride and I’m very glad that he decided not to follow through with his request that morning: ‘Daddy, is it okay if I give the Princess a kiss?’

My own conversation with the Duke and Duchess was naturally a highlight for me – I won’t reveal all of what we discussed but it did include me mentioning that we had tried to plan for every contingency, so I would be bringing an orang utan suit to Sabah should a real one fail to materialise!

The Royal Party then visited Assyakirin Mosque next to KLCC Park. For security reasons and for fear of disrupting Friday prayers, the visit had not been advertised in advance. This was the couple’s first official visit to a mosque and I know that they greatly enjoyed hearing about the architecture of the building and how the mosque plays a role in people’s daily lives.

The Cultural Fair in KLCC Park, was always going to be the most challenging event to organise. It was the main occasion for the public to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess but it was almost impossible to predict how many people would turn up.

As we were waiting for the party to come out of the mosque we could see hundreds of people streaming across the grass towards the venue. Clearly, the High Commissioner’s video invitation, which had received over 9,000 hits, had done the trick and that we would get the huge crowds that we had hoped for.

The Duke and Duchess came into their own during the walkabout. They must have shaken hundreds of hands and collected dozens of flowers and cards from well-wishers. The crowd’s affection was palpable and they responded with warmth and sincerity.

Our next stop was the KL Convention Centre, where the Duke delivered an impassioned speech to 1,200 guests about the close business and cultural ties between the UK and Malaysia. He praised the growing contribution that Malaysian companies were making to the UK economy and highlighted that British companies in a wide variety of sectors were doing excellent business here.

That afternoon, the High Commissioner hosted a Diamond Jubilee Tea Party at his residence primarily for the unsung heroes of Malaysian society. It was a chance for the couple to say thank you to people like Justine Morais, the founder of Home of Peace, who had dedicated her life to improving the opportunities for girls from underprivileged backgrounds.

As a huge James Bond fan, I have to admit that my highlight was escorting Dato’ Michelle Yeoh into the party. For a worldwide superstar, who had dazzled audiences in Memoirs of a Geisha and The Lady, she couldn’t have been more sincere or accommodating.

So that was the end of the KL leg of the visit.

The royal party then flew on a plane kindly provided by the Malaysian Government to Kota Kinabalu to start the Sabah programme. The flight was largely uneventful until the last 15 minutes when the pilot informed us that strong winds might force us to divert to the island of Labuan! Luckily, the weather settled and we were able to land safely.

Once again, the reaction of the crowds that greeted us at the airport and then at our hotel was incredible. That night’s reception, hosted by the Sabah Government, was memorable for an outstanding cultural performance.

And so, on to the penultimate day of the visit: a journey into the heart of one of the world’s oldest rainforests. During our initial recce in June, we had come up with the slightly wacky idea of taking the royal couple and the media to the top of the canopy so that they could see firsthand the rainforest’s richness in flora and fauna. We were convinced that these photos would be amongst the most memorable of the entire Diamond Jubilee Tour. This would be the day to see if we could really pull it off…

The programme began with an amazing trip by helicopter over the Sabah hinterland. The view was simply breathtaking and there were times when it felt as though we were only a few metres above the treetops.

Following a short introduction to conservation efforts and research opportunities in the rainforest, the couple were harnessed and taken to the base of the chosen tree. The media had been prepositioned in an adjacent tree ready to snap away.

In a well-reported exchange as the couple were being strapped in, the Duke referred to his uncle, the Duke of York’s recent abseil down the Shard building in London for charity. ‘It’s not quite as impressive as the Shard,’ he said as he looked up into the tree. As quick as a flash, Glen Reynolds, the Director of the Royal Society’s research project replied ‘Size isn’t everything,’ before the Duke returned laughing: ‘That’s true.’

The couple were hoisted 130 feet into the canopy using a counterweight pulley system and were met at the top by a Malaysian PhD graduate from Cambridge University. They were given a brief overview of the wildlife found in the trees and were able to learn more about the conservation efforts. As we had hoped, the amazing photos of the couple with the rainforest stretching out behind them made the front pages of virtually every British and Malaysian newspaper the following day.

After lunch, the couple’s dream was realized when they had a special encounter with an orang utan family not far from Borneo Rainforest Lodge. Suffice it to say that my fancy dress outfit was not required!

That evening, we gave the passengers on our Malaysia Airlines flight from Lahad Datu to Kota Kinabalu a great shock as they realised that the Duke and Duchess were sat amongst them. We had tried to keep this element a secret but clearly news had travelled as the streets surrounding the airport were lined with well-wishers.

So, the following morning, we bade farewell to the party for their onward flight to Honiara. This brought to an end one of the most exciting episodes in my professional career. I hope that when the couple look back at their time in Malaysia, they do so with the fondest of memories and perhaps they will return for a holiday in the not so distant future.

In the meantime, if anyone has a cure for my blues, please feel free to suggest it in the comment box below!

With less than a week to go until The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Malaysia, the High Commission team is in overdrive trying to ensure that all of the events have been planned to the last detail and that we have the protocol, security and media requirements just right.

I feel incredibly proud of how the High Commission has risen to this task, and with the outstanding support of the Malaysian Government and other partners like the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and the Royal Society, I am confident that we will deliver a visit to remember.

So, I’m sure that you are keen to know exactly what the Couple will be doing in their three days here. They will arrive on 13 September and will immediately travel to a lunch hosted by the Malaysian Prime Minister at his residence in Putrajaya.

That afternoon, the Duke and Duchess will visit Hospis Malaysia, one of the country’s foremost palliative care institutions. The Duchess, who has a long-standing interest in palliative care through her patronage of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, will deliver her maiden speech overseas and will help to kick-start Malaysia’s national paediatric palliative care programme. The Duke and Duchess will meet some of the Hospis’s patients and will also illustrate a wet-brick which will be placed in the reception area.

That evening, His Majesty The Agong, will host a glittering official dinner for the Couple at Istana Negara. As you can imagine, getting the protocol arrangements right for this event has been quite tricky: from agreeing who should be present during the official audience with Their Majesties to the dress code for the event, every last detail has been poured over. Suffice it to say that my wife is using the event as an excuse to wear out the numbers on my credit card!

The following morning, the Couple will have a chance to meet High Commission staff and our families before the main public event in the programme. Their Royal Highnesses will attend a Cultural Fair in Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park, which lies beneath the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, and will see and hear elements representing Malaysia’s wonderful diversity.

I would encourage all of you to come down to the Park and to bring your families and friends. Feel free to deck yourself out in red, white and blue, and to wave furiously your British and Malaysian flags. For more details on the event, please see the video below and follow our website, Facebook page and Twitter account. And if you can’t make it to the Park, you can always post a message to the Royal Couple using the comment box below or via our social media channels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZwPsPUAtL8&feature=player_embedded

The Couple will then attend a business lunch in the KL Convention Centre where The Duke will deliver a speech to 1,200 guests highlighting the strong prosperity and cultural ties between the UK and Malaysia.

That afternoon, the High Commissioner will host a Diamond Jubilee Tea Party at his residence and this will be an opportunity for the Couple to say thank you to the unsung heroes of Malaysian civil society and to those who have contributed greatly to the bilateral relationship. I imagine that the Couple will be especially keen to hear about Pandelela Rinong’s successful participation in the London Olympics and Dato’ Michelle Yeoh’s recent role as Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady.

At the Tea Party, the two winners of our Ultimate Royal-Tea contest will also have a chance to meet Their Royal Highnesses. I’m sure you’ll agree that Ashikin Mastura Binti Haji Amirudin’s and Ser Yin Ting’s images show a unique blend of quality, composition and creativity. And congratulations also to the 50 runners-up who will all receive Boh’s specially blended Diamond Jubilee tea.

That evening the Royal Party flies to Sabah and will take a helicopter trip into the heart of the rainforest the following morning. We wanted to give the Couple an opportunity to see and experience Malaysia’s abundant natural wonders and to show support for the amazing conservation efforts that the Royal Society and others are engaging in.

We will take Their Royal Highnesses high into the canopy so that they can have a bird’s eye view of the rainforest and perhaps even spot some wildlife. I probably shouldn’t relay this story but on one of the recee trips, we found a green pit viper in the proposed media tree – let’s hope that it doesn’t re-appear during the visit!

Later that day, the Couple will take a private walk into the rainforest. We hope that mother nature will cooperate and that they will have a chance to see a wild Orang Utan at close quarters.

So that’s plan. Clearly with any high profile visit, things are not always going to run smoothly and we have to prepare for any and all eventualities. So, if our motorcade does break down outside your house, and the Duke and Duchess knock on your front door, please do let them in and perhaps offer them  a cup of tea – they like Earl Grey with a drop of milk!

I am delighted that Tony Collingridge, the Director of UK Trade & investment in Malaysia, has agreed to write a guest blog on the Premier League and the importance of an overseas business strategy. As an ardent Liverpool supporter, I would just like to add that we remain one of the best-supported clubs in Malaysia despite our lack of success!

Even though I’m a lifelong Chelsea fan, my wife and I were very surprised and fortunate to host some representatives of Manchester City Football Club – the English Premier League Champions, at our home in Kuala Lumpur last month. It was the first time the club had visited Malaysia, and they decided to join the UK Trade & Investment north-west trade mission pre-briefing, to hear more about the Malaysian market and meet the missioners from their home town.

They even brought the English Premier League trophy. Manchester City Football Club may be bigger and more famous than some of the companies on the mission, but they were visiting South East Asia for exactly the same reason. Like many British companies they recognise that in order to succeed in today’s business market, their overseas business strategy needs to be just as effective and successful as their domestic business strategy.

The English Premier League that kicks off on 18 August, is a great example of a successful international business; the most popular football league in the world with a global audience of billions and the highest revenue of any football league in the world.  In 2010, it was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the highest official UK award for British business.  The Premier League received the accolade for its outstanding contribution to international trade, and the value it brings to English football and the UK broadcasting industry.

When the Premier League started in 1992 there was just one international broadcast agreement, now there are 84 agreements servicing 212 territories all across the world and it is broadcast into an estimated 650 million homes reaching a global audience of billions. This worldwide popularity commands big rewards.

Its live TV rights are worth a reported £3 billion as of 2013-14, with foreign TV rights contributing just under £2 billion.  As well as the TV rights the Premier League also has lucrative sponsorship deals. Barclays recently signed a new three year £120 million deal with the Premier League to continue its global title sponsorship through to the end of the 2015-16 season. The new sponsorship deal is worth £40 million per year a 45% increase in comparison to the previous £27.5 million per year contract.

Apart from very effective negotiating skills, the Premier League’s success is due to the global appeal of the football clubs that play in the Premier League. Although Manchester United failed to win any trophies last season, as the world’s most popular football club they are the team to beat. In a recent survey commissioned by the club, it was estimated in the last five years it has doubled its global fan base to 659 million fans; and over half of its fan base come from Asia-Pacific. This means that 10% of the world’s population support Manchester United, helping to make Manchester United the world’s most valuable sports team, according to Forbes.

In Asia, the Premier League is particularly popular and is the most widely distributed sports programme. On the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Seoul you will find lifelong football fans that are as ardent and committed as the ones you will find in England. To ensure this continues the Premier League has set up the Premier League Asia Trophy, the only Premier League affiliated tournament ever to take place outside England.

The pre-season tournament gives Asian fans the opportunity to see their favourite clubs play live and last year while posted in Hong Kong I was able to watch Chelsea win the title with my wife who was over eight months pregnant at the time!  The tournament has also been successfully held to sell-out crowds in Malaysia, Thailand and China.

As the Prime Minister said, to be successful UK companies need to look beyond their shores and target the newly prosperous markets in Asia that are faring far better in the global economic downturn than Europe. This is why Manchester City, Arsenal and Queen’s Park Rangers all visited and played in Malaysia last month.

As Director of Trade & Investment in Malaysia I look forward to welcoming and working with all UK companies that want to build their business in Malaysia and hopefully that will include Chelsea visiting Kuala Lumpur next year!