When the UK High Commissioner to Malaysia Simon Featherstone took up his appointment last October, he commented that the British Government was keen to see ties between UK and Malaysia strengthened, adding that he was looking forward to “taking this agenda forward during the next four years.” Here he talks about his impressions of the country and the opportunities he sees for British business.
How would you describe the relationship between Malaysia and the UK?
Since I have been here, I have been struck by the warmth of the relationship and the historical ties. It is obvious that a lot of the Malaysian system is based on the UK system; for example the legal and financial systems are very similar.
We share membership of the Commonwealth and the trade relationship is very healthy. Malaysian exports to the UK reached a total of RM87.2 billion (£1.78 billion), a jump of 12 per cent on 2009. UK exports to Malaysia went up by 18 per cent to reach a total of RM6.37 billion (£1.23 billion).
I think I have come at a time when the relationship is poised to grow even further and more rapidly, and I feel very excited to be here.
Does the 10th Malaysia plan present opportunities for British companies?
It represents a very important opportunity for UK firms. We think that the kinds of plans Malaysia is implementing play to the strength of British companies and financial institutions. We are looking very closely at those plans and we are hoping to develop good opportunities for British companies to work alongside Malaysian companies.
In fact, this is happening all the time and much of it without the British Government having to intervene.
For example, the British Malaysia Chamber of Commerce has over 300 members, it is not just the very big names but a whole range of British companies are based here either as investors or because they are major trading partners with Malaysia.
Our trade and investment team organises visits by either regional or sector groups to Malaysia. The High Commission does a lot in terms of disseminating information through a wide range of information providers, such as the internet.
We also see a lot of companies and provide chargeable services; they pay us to investigate particular sectors for them. We are one of the most productive and efficient high commissions/embassies worldwide in this respect. We often serve small and medium-sized enterprises.
How important is Malaysia’s membership of the Commonwealth?
We regard those links as extremely important and we are particularly pleased that the former Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is chairing the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group, which is charged with reinvigorating the Commonwealth and making it more accessible and valuable to its citizens. That is something which we and Malaysia have in common – a desire for the Commonwealth to be reinvigorated.
In the meantime, the High Commission is working with existing Commonwealth institutions in the fields of culture, music, climate change and sports, for example. We do not want to be a Government organisation, but a country-to-country people’s organisation.
How can UK investors play a larger role in the Malaysian economy?
We have lots of individual companies that have particular strengths in areas where Malaysia is seeking investment. For example, the expertise that British firms have in public-private partnerships is something very relevant for Malaysia.
There is a whole range of opportunities here, some of which we are already exploring and others where our role as a commission is to open people’s eyes to the synergies between British and Malaysian expertise.
The oil sector – as well as the big players like Shell, BP and Petrofac – has exciting expansion plans for oil exploration in Malaysia.
Another very important area is Islamic finance. Malaysia has positioned itself as probably the leading Islamic finance centre in Southeast Asia and the world. I know that our law and accountancy firms are very interested, as well as a large number of banks, in working closely with Malaysia in Islamic finance.
In the area of higher education, we have something like 13,000 students from Malaysia in the UK and 40,000 students studying in Malaysia for British qualifications.
There is a wide variety of institutions setting up campuses and schools here in Malaysia as well, particularly in the Iskandar region, where we have a whole cluster of British companies and institutions including Marlborough College, Newcastle and Southampton Universities and also Pinewood Studios, which make the James Bond films and a whole range of Hollywood blockbusters. Legoland, a British-owned company, is also setting up here.
What is the best thing about Malaysia in your opinion?
There is a lot of validity in the tag line that the Malaysian Government uses: ‘Truly Asia’. The culture here combines the traditional Malay culture along with Chinese, Indian and European influences, which makes it a truly unique country that has surprises around every corner.
I would also like to highlight the potential that exists here. Malaysia has been growing very fast – there was around 7 per cent growth last year – and represents a huge growing market.
For tourists, you only need to look at the brochures of the beach resorts and the other attractions in this country to entice people to come, and the cultural mix is also very appealing. Malaysia combines the fascination of a predominantly Islamic country with a very strong tolerance of other faiths and cultures, which is truly unique in the world. It is a very enticing mix.
What are your goals and challenges for the next four years?
I want to ensure that the political relationship between Britain and Malaysia is as good as it can be because this underpins other aspects of the relationship, such as trade, defence, science and technology, and culture. I am delighted that since last summer we have had a range of very high level visits. Those are something I have been very keen to see established, and I think they will create a framework in which other links can flourish and develop.
The potential for the relationship is huge. We have so much history and so many challenges we share, be it in the environmental field or the policy field. It can only be good for both countries to work hand-in-hand to tackle those issues.
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