British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ailsa Terry CMG hosted a grand reception in Kuala Lumpur today to mark His Majesty King Charles III’s 76th birthday, and celebrate the deep connections between the UK and Malaysia. YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, was the guest of honour representing the Malaysian Government at the event.
This is the first King’s Birthday Party reception hosted by Terry in Malaysia. It was attended by approximately 700 guests including members of the Malaysian royalty, senior government officials, diplomatic corps and the business community.
The reception kicked off with Minister Nik Nazmi leading a toast to the good health and wellbeing of His Majesty King Charles III. High Commissioner then reciprocated with a toast to DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong.
In her speech, Terry spoke about the longstanding bilateral relationship and deep people-to-people links:
Since arriving in the country nearly one year ago and travelling to almost every state, I have seen firsthand how many shared connections bind the UK and Malaysia together. The relationship between our two countries feels personal. Everybody I have met has a UK story.
Terry added that the strong ties has never been more important against the challenging global context. She is confident that regardless of the outcome of the UK General Election in July, Malaysia will remain an important and respected partner for the UK. There is already plenty to look forward to in the second half of the year with the British Airways resuming flights between London and Kuala Lumpur, as well as the UK’s entry into CPTPP which will boost business opportunities and bilateral trade.
The British envoy also acknowledged King Charles’ cancer diagnosis in February, and said that The King’s gradual return to official duties since April demonstrates his resilience. She said that The King’s dedication to Royal duties is inspirational.
Terry concluded her speech with a Malay pantun and thanked major sponsors for the event including YTL Corporation, British Airways EcoWorld, Orando Holdings, HSBC, Melbourne Capital Group, Bluestar AMG, Standard Chartered, Malaysian Airlines, and Berjaya Corporation.
Guests were treated to the best of British food, culture and music from the four nations within the UK – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.