Next stop, the UK: PM Anwar set for five-day trip

LONDON, Jan 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will undertake a five-day working visit to the United Kingdom (UK), Malaysia’s third largest trading partner in Europe.

Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar said Anwar’s visit is at the invitation of his counterpart, Keir Starmer, who has been in office since July 2024.

“The visit to the UK is the first by Anwar since becoming Prime Minister. It is also the first visit to a European country by the Prime Minister as ASEAN Chairman,” he added.

Speaking at a press conference at his office here, Zakri said this visit is expected to give new life and also strengthen bilateral relations between Malaysia and the UK which covers various fields.

It will also be fully utilised to explore new initiatives in trade and investment following the UK’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), he said.

The Prime Minister, who is expected to arrive here at 10 pm on Tuesday (6 am on Wednesday in Malaysia) from Abu Dhabi, will be accompanied by Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Senator Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Higher Education Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and Minister of Plantation and Commodities Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.

On Wednesday, Anwar will meet Starmer at No.10, Downing Street, and the two leaders are expected to touch on various bilateral issues, as well as the situation in Myanmar and Palestine, Zakri said.

According to him, the government led by Starmer has suspended the sale of some weapons to Israel and requested accelerated humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank.

On Thursday, Anwar will meet Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, UK Parliament.

Zakri said Malaysia, as ASEAN Chairman for 2025, will also use the opportunity of this visit to discuss the focus and direction of Malaysia’s chairmanship with the theme, ‘Inclusion and Sustainability’.

Regarding cooperation in the economic sector, Zakri said that until November 2024, the total trade between the two countries amounted to RM15.30 billion.

However, Malaysia’s total exports to the UK have decreased by 4.1 per cent to RM7.83 billion compared to the previous year.

Although Malaysia’s total imports from the UK also decreased by 3.4 per cent to RM7.47 billion, the total trade balance continued to favour Malaysia at RM225.3 million

During this visit, both parties will witness the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding involving the Joint Economic Trade Committee and Other Supporting Mechanism (MUKJETCO) between MITI and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), UK.

Zakri said the Prime Minister will also continue efforts to attract investment through a Round Table Meeting with the Captain of Industries in the UK, involving 40 local companies.

Anwar will also attend an Engagement Session with the Chief Executive Officer of Government Linked Investment Companies (GLIC) and the InvestMalaysia programmes organised by Bursa Malaysia, the launch of a solar farm project by TNB Malaysia and a product launch by YTL Group UK.

“All these programmes are among efforts to highlight the country’s ability to realise the aspirations of the MADANI Economic Framework,” said Zakri.

During this visit, Anwar will also visit the Battersea Power Station, which is Malaysia’s largest investment involving public funds in Europe.

The prime minister is also scheduled to deliver a special public lecture, entitled ‘The Adaptive Edge: Malaysia’s Global Strategy in an Uncertain Era’ at the London School of Economics (LSE), as well as inaugurate the Malaysian Auditorium there.

The auditorium was named the Malaysian Auditorium in appreciation of the continuous efforts by the Malaysian Branch LSE alumni who are always active in community affairs in Malaysia and in the UK.

On Friday, Anwar will pray at the East London Mosque and then meet with the Muslim community there. He will also donate a copy of the Quran with an English translation published by Nasyrul Quran in Putrajaya to the mosque.

The prime minister will also meet with about 700 Malaysian diaspora in the UK on Jan 17 before departing for Brussels two days later. — Bernama