UK Reaffirm Commitment to Malaysia, to Further Deepen Ties
KUALA LUMPUR: United Kingdom’s Defence Minister Baroness Goldie has celebrated the UK and Malaysia’s historical defence relationship and close ties, looking forward to further cooperation to promote stability in the region.
Baroness Goldie met with Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamad Hasan March 28 in Kuala Lumpur.
Congratulating the Minister on his appointment in December, they discussed the deepening of bilateral cooperation and Defence ties through Five Power Defence Arrangements.
“Reinforcing the UK’s commitment to the region, the Ministers also discussed the UK’s recent Integrated Review Refresh and how the AUKUS agreement will support regional stability,” a statement by the British High Commission here said.
They discussed the UK’s enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific and regional peace and security during her visit. “The UK Government looks forward to further strengthening ties with Malaysia.”
Malaysia and the UK are both members of the Five Powers Defence Arrangements (FPDA), now in its 52nd year.
Founded in 1971, the FPDA is a series of agreements between Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK, with the group seeking to strengthen defence and security in the Indo-Pacific and work together to promote stability in the region.
During visit to Kuala Lumpur and Penang this week, Baroness Goldie also visited the FPDA’s military headquarters at RMAF Butterworth in Penang – the Headquarters Integrated Area Defence System (HQIADS). During her visit she met with UK personnel deployed there.
Following her visit to HQIADS, the Minister paid her respects to all those fallen, laying a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Cemetery in nearby Taiping.
The CWGC work tirelessly to maintain cemeteries around the world to ensure that the fallen will always be appropriately remembered.
Baroness Goldie who is also responsible for Asia/Far East defence engagement, said:“During my visit we discussed our strong defence partnership and the ambition for the UK and Malaysia to collaborate further in support of regional peace and security.”
–adj/mgm/mhi (Pix: British High Commission/KL)