The British Malaysian Society

Newsletter – Spring 2018

Commonwealth Big Lunch at Malaysian High Commission Talk by Rt Hon Mark Field MP A Commonwealth Big Lunch, as part of the on UK- Relations

CHOGM 2018 events, was held at the Malaysian High Commission on 23 March. It was a joint event between the BMS, the Sarawak Association and IoD City. It was a celebration of the Commonwealth and the great part that HM The Queen has played as Head of the Commonwealth. This lunch was to celebrate that connection. Over 60 members and guests attended the event including the Malaysian High HE Dato’ Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi addressing Commissioner, HE Dato’ Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi. guests From left: Neville Green, Anthony Cooper, BMS Chairman, Mark Field MP and Mei Sim Lai, BMS Chairman’s Review Deputy Chairman.

Although we had two fewer events in 2017 At our Annual Dinner in October, The Rt Hon Mark Field MP, Minister of State for Asia they were all well attended. generously hosted again by the Inner and the Pacific, gave a wide ranging and interesting Two of the highlights were the Temple, we were fortunate to have talk on “UK-Malaysia relations” at Portcullis House, 60th Anniversary Merdeka Concert held in Lord Powell, BMS Vice President, as our Westmonster, on 15 March. October in the City of London and the Guest Speaker. Lord Powell has close His talk included current Malaysian politics, trade, Christmas Reception and Celebration of links with Malaysia. bilateral issues and education. He also took questions Merdeka held in December at the House of For 2018 the Executive Committee, from the audience of over 60 guests. Lords. with the full support of our President, He tweeted (about BMS) “A vital institution for The Society continues to enjoy excellent Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, has planned supporting relations over the last 35 years”. relations with both the British High another full programme of events. The Rt Hon Mark Field has been the Member of Commission in Kuala Lumpur and the We started the year with a topical Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster Malaysian High Commission in London and business talk by Tony Collingridge, and since 2001. He has a special interest in economic this enhances our main mission of promoting we had our Chinese New Year lunch on affairs, foreign trade and international aid. bilateral friendships between our two 27 February. countries. This is my fourth and last review as I HE Vicki Treadell, British High will be retiring as Chairman at our AGM Chinese New Year Lunch on 21 June, when Mei Sim Lai Commissioner in Malaysia, gave a stimulating BMS held its annual Chinese New Year talk at the Inner Temple in September and HE will succeed me. Celebratory lunch at Maxmini Restaurant on 27 Dato’ Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi again hosted I plan to continue a close February. events at the Malaysian High Commission. relationship with Malaysia during my About 30 members and friends attended the Presidency of the Sarawak Association. function, on a cold and snowy day.

Talk by Tony Collingridge, OBE “Prospects for the Malaysian economy, trade and investment in 2018”

Tony Collingridge said that Malaysia was not far from achieving its Vision 2020 goals, and the economic indicators showed the country to be in good shape. Consumer demand was the key factor in economic growth, but as a small country Malaysia relies heavily on trade. The Society’s privacy policy Trade between UK and Malaysia is As you may be aware new data expected to reach US$10.7bn by 2020. protection regulations come into force in On the political front he noted that PM May this year. Accordingly, we need to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak presented From left: Dato' Anthony Cooper (Chairman of a bold approach ahead of GE 14. formally advise members of our privacy BMS), Allen Lai (UKABC) Dato' Mohammad policy. Faiz Azmi (Chairman of PwC Malaysia), Tony The only personal information we collect Collingridge OBE and Trevor Wicks (DTI) Continued on page 2, column 1 and hold about members is the information you provide to us when you apply to join the . Society. This comprises your name, email

EVENTS Late June address, postal address and telephone Eid celebration dinner Thursday 5 April contact numbers. Joint event with the Malayan Volunteers Venue: Satay House We will never provide our membership Group, a talk on the history of the Malayan Early July Volunteer Forces. Presentation by Ashly Nandong, BMS lists or any of your personal details to any Venue: Malaysian High Commission scholar, at the Prince’s School of third parties. We hold your contact details Time: 12 noon to 2.30pm. Traditional Arts, Shoreditch. solely to be able to provide details of the Tuesday 24 April Society’s events and other events which may UK and ASEAN lunchtime Panel Discussion, Subscriptions and membership cards be of interest to you. a joint event with the University of 2018 subscriptions were due by 31 If we are approached to advertise a third Nottingham, featuring a panel of March. All those individuals who had party event this will be relayed to members by us only if it is considered relevant and of distinguished experts. paid by this date should have received Venue: White & Case offices in London. their membership cards. If you believe possible interest. Time: 12 noon to 2.30pm. If you have any questions about this policy you have paid but have not received Thursday 21 June your card(s) please let the Treasurer please contact us at: BMS AGM & President’s Reception know at: [email protected] Venue: Oriental Club, London [email protected] Time: 6pm – 8pm

AMEU hosts Financial Technology Malaysian King receives Honorary (FinTech), DEFINETECH UKEC-Graduan - The ato Fellowship from Oxford's St Cross College Malaysian Careers Fair 2018

The Sun Daily March 1, 2018 Over 30 Malaysian corporates exhibited The Association of Malaysian Economics

Undergraduates (AMEU) held their first The Yang di-Pertuan at the UKEC Graduan Careers Fair, at ever Financial Technology (FinTech) Agong (King), Sultan Royal Lancaster Hotel, on Sunday 25 event, DEFINETECH, at Malaysia Hall, Muhammad V March, including a number of corporate London, on 10 February. receives the members of BMS. An estimated 4,000 The event was aimed at providing Honorary Fellowship students attended the Fair. students with a comprehensive picture of of the St Cross The Malaysian Careers Fair 2018 is a College of Oxford, the role of technology and its related from the Master of platform for Malaysian students in the industries in the larger economy. the College, Carole UK to network and potentially secure Souter, March 1, internship, placements and job launch 2018 - Bernama The Yang di- opportunities with leading Malaysian

companies.

OXFORD: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia, Sultan Muhammad V, has been awarded the Honorary Fellowship of the St Cross College of Oxford, United Kingdom. He received the fellowship during an induction ceremony in St Cross College, cementing his place in an international network of 14 Honorary and Domus Fellows of the college. St Cross College Master, Carole Souter, presented a medal and certificate of fellowship to the King, witnessed by the college's Participants had the privilege of hearing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Louise Richardson, and its academic from BMS member Simon Gilbert, the staff. Founder and Managing Director of Sultan Muhammad V was educated at Oakham School in Elmore Insurance Brokers Limited, who Rutland until 1989 and pursued his education in Diplomatic shed some light on the emerging threats Studies at St Cross College in Oxford, as well as Islamic Studies that the financial industry faces as it HE Dato’ Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi, Malaysian at the Oxford Centre until 1991. – Bernama continues to evolve digitally and the High Commissioner, (third from left) with http://www.thesundaily.my BMS members at the BMS booth. He also growing importance of cyber insurance went to booths of other exhibitors after for companies.. launching the Fair. AMEU is a professional non-profit student-run organisation for aspiring BMS Deputy Chairman Mei Sarawak CM Abang The Graduan Careers Fair was organised Malaysian undergraduates studying Sim Lai OBE DL wins Johari receives courtesy by United Kingdom & Eire Council of economics or economics-related pursuits Outstanding Contribution call from BMS chairman Malaysian Students (UKEC). in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Award at the Chinese Business BMS set up a booth at the fair to raise Leaders Awards awareness of the BMS amongst students.

Manchester Intellectual Many congratulations to our Deputy Chairman Mei Sim Lai Debate 2018 OBE DL on winning the 2017 JOIN US FOR THE PAWA Outstanding Contribution Award The Manchester Intellectual Debate 2018 WALK 2018 at the Chinese Business Leaders Abang Johari (centre) together (MID) was held in Manchester on 3 – 4 Awards at the National Portrait with Anthony Cooper (left) and Join the PAWA Walk team to raise funds March. Gallery, organised by Sino Pro Jason Brooke during the for teenage girls’ education in Asia at the courtesy call. Super Heroes Run at Regents Park on The MID competition had two and sponsored by PwC. categories, Malay and English, both in KUCHING, Malaysia, 27 Jan: Sunday 13 May at 11am. Asian Parliamentary style. Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi It is just £25 to register (under 8s are Abang Johari Tun Openg A total of 250 students and 10 guests free) and this includes a PAWA Walk received a courtesy call from from various organisations attended the T-shirt. BMS chairman Dato’ Anthony closing ceremony of the event. Cooper, accompanied by Jason http://pawa-london.org There were 5 teams for Malay Debate Brooke, at his office in Wisma Catego ry, 6 teams for English Debate Bapa Malaysia.

Category and a total of 16 public speaking contestants. PAWA organised a Panel Discussion An Evening with Bruce This year, MID not only received “Women in Film: Challenges and Parry ‘Voice from the participants from UK and Ireland but also opportunities behind the camera”, for Mei Sim Lai (centre) with the Rt Forest’ from and France which reflects its Women’s International Day, at Nehru Hon The Lord Mayor Alderman The Sarawak Association goal to become a hub for intellectual Charles Bowman , PwC Partner organised the event at St Centre on 16 March. discourse amongst Malaysian students in (right) and Minister Counsellor Ethelburga's, Bishopsgate, on the UK, beyond the horizon of Malaysia. Jin Xu, Economic and Thursday 22 March. MID 2018 was supported by Biro Commercial Section, Chinese Bruce Parry was in Pelajar Luar Negara and other agencies. Embassy in London conversation with Jason The British Malaysian Society was a Gathorne-Hardy about his latest bronze sponsor of the event and BMS The award recognises Mei Sim‘s film documentary, Tawai, interspersed with clips from the Deputy Chairman Mei Sim Lai attended work over many years on many documentary. Tawai, is the the event on the final day. public, business, City and word the Penans use to describe voluntary/charitable an inner feeling of connection ______organisations. She has been to nature.

one of Her Majesty The Queen‘s (From left) Sangeeta Datta, writer/director, Continued from Page 1 Representatives in London since Taiwanese director Jenny Lu, Kamalakshi Prospects for the Malaysian economy, by 2006 and has responsibility for Tony Collingridge Mehta, PAWA management committee

the London Borough of Brent. member/writer and Bernard Chauly, In ASEAN, Malaysia plays a major role Malaysian film director

and is also an important member of the PAWA also had a booth at WOW Commonwealth. Join BMS (Women of the World) at Southbank Bruce Parry has an affinity Tony was formerly UKTI’s Director of Whatever your connection to Centre on 8 March. towards understanding the heart Trade & Investment in Malaysia. He was Malaysia there is likely to be of our collective human appointed as Director Malaysia for the something for you within the conscience. society, especially for those who BMS now has Facebook and Twitter. Now Commonwealth Enterprise and In his latest work he travelled have lived or worked in social media users can click on to BMS Investmentline Council (CWEIC) in through the jungles of Facebook and Twitter. November 2017. Malaysia. If you have an through to the tributaries of the Facebook: www.facebook.com/ The event was held at the offices of interesting item of news or Amazon in search for answers thebritishmalaysiansociety1983 Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP on Thursday 4 something else to contribute, and adventure. Twitter: @BritishMsianSoc January. please send your contribution to: Many BMS members also newsletter@ attended the event.

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