British High Commissioner to Malaysia Briefs on New Government in the United Kingdom
Her Excellency Ailsa Terry CMG, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, provided a rudimentary briefing on the General Elections in the United Kingdom at our office in Menara IQ, TRX.
The briefing – opened and moderated by our CEO, Jennifer Lopez – provided an insightful and engaging introduction to the newly elected government’s agendas as per their manifesto. These agendas were also echoed in His Majesty King Charles’ speech, which was delivered on 17 July 2024.
H.E. Ailsa foremostly prefaced that the new government’s priorities consist of five clear missions, which include kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a climate-conscious superpower for clean energy, and building a National Health Service fit for the future.
Rebooting the British economy and boosting productivity is one of the new government’s more pertinent agendas. This is a goal they are striving to achieve by securing funding from the government, businesses, and industries in the UK, as well as by welcoming and investing in foreign companies.
To facilitate the latter, H.E. Ailsa emphasised that developing trade relationships with businesses outside of the UK requires a stable economic environment for investors. She expressed that the British High Commission is open to ideas on improving the quality of life for UK investors overseas and making the business environment in Malaysia more attractive.
On the topic of foreign policy, H.E. Ailsa highlighted the new parliament’s recognition of free trade deals that the UK has already signed, like the CPTPP. She emphasised that this exemplifies their commitment to investing and engaging with Asia. The new government is expected to be well-versed in strategic trade and can leverage this knowledge to strengthen economic ties.
During the Q&A session, H.E. Ailsa addressed numerous queries and concerns from our audience of senior-level representatives from our member companies. The questions ranged from how the new government plans to balance funding for domestic use and foreign investment, their plans for tackling sustainability and climate change, and their approach to encouraging SMEs to participate in socio-economic change on a national level.
She added that the UK government’s focus towards clean energy and advancing technology could strengthen ties with authorities in Malaysia, which is growing quickly in areas of energy transition and digital transformation.
She shares our hope that the new UK government will be able to fortify foreign trade relationships and bolster economic growth for the benefit of all dependent parties.
To ensure that the needs of the Malaysian business community are met, Her Excellency encourages organisations’ representatives to share their views and concerns regarding the new UK government with her and her team at the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur.
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