LONDON: Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi described his four-day working visit to the United Kingdom which concluded Wednesday as a bridge to strengthen bilateral relations.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Minister of Rural and Regional Development, said the visit, filled with discussions and programmes, differed from previous visits as he had the opportunity to personally witness the commitment of students sponsored by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) at University College London (UCL) during a session with them.
“...we (delegation) saw their commitment not only to acquiring knowledge but also to acting as catalysts for Generation Z and Generation Alpha. When they come here and gain knowledge, then return to Malaysia, they will contribute not only to their professions but to other fields as well, providing motivation especially to Generation Alpha and the millennial generation,” he told a press conference here upon the conclusion of his visit.
Additionally, Ahmad Zahid shared that Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) received very positive feedback from the university and students who were excited about the government’s game-changing initiatives.
“...we are aware of the government’s aim to create 60,000 high-tech engineering job opportunities, and we have requested for the Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes to be expedited,” he said.
Beyond TVET, the visit also strengthened cooperation in rural development, renewable energy, and climate resilience through Ahmad Zahid’s meeting with the UK’s Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed.
The meeting also discussed collaboration in rural transformation, disaster management, water security, and investments in green energy, including the reactivation of the ASEAN Power Grid.
During the visit, Malaysia also proposed the use of green sukuk for climate financing and efforts to lead the global halal ecosystem through the World Halal Council and a unified halal logo.
Both countries also reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing trade relations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and through private sector cooperation.
Through the Malaysia-UK franchise business dialogue held during the visit, Ahmad Zahid expressed hope that it would help Malaysian franchise brands penetrate the UK market by 2026.
Ahmad Zahid also expressed confidence that the launch of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VMY2026) in the UK would expand collaboration with UK industry players, including airlines, to attract more UK tourists to Malaysia.
Following the conclusion of his UK visit, Ahmad Zahid is leading the Malaysian delegation to the 8th Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) in Geneva, Switzerland on June 4 and 5.
