Nikesh Mehta » Counsellor for Foreign Policy and Security

This post is also available in English Pada Rabu lepas, saya berpeluang untuk bertemu dengan mantan Perdana Menteri Malaysia keempat, iaitu Y.Bhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sewaktu lawatan beliau ke kediaman Pesuruh Jaya Tinggi British di Kuala Lumpur. Antara lain, lawatan itu adalah bagi beliau menyampaikan pesanan takziah ke atas pemergian mantan Perdana Menteri Wanita British pertama iaitu Lady Thatcher. Mesej Tun Mahathir serta komen-komen yang diterima menerusi rangkaian media … Read more »Lady Thatcher dan Tun Mahathir: Pemimpin Gemilang

This Blog is also available in Bahasa Malaysia. Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir when he came to the High Commissioner’s residence to write a message in a condolence book to mark the sad passing of Lady Thatcher. Tun Mahathir’s message and some of the comments on our social media channels got me thinking about how Lady Thatcher’s was perceived in Malaysia. … Read more »Lady Thatcher and Tun Mahathir: Era-defining Leaders

I’m delighted that Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, daughter of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohammad, has kindly agreed to write a guest blog for the British High Commission to mark International Women’s Day 2013. This year’s theme is ‘The Gender Agenda: Gaining Momentum’. As one of Malaysia’s foremost advocates for gender equality, I couldn’t think of a better-informed person to write this blog. As always, I look forward to … Read more »One Woman’s Fight to End Gender Discrimination in Malaysia

What does a Diplomat do? My friends and family often ask me this question, and it’s not so easy to answer. The Oxford English Dictionary describes diplomacy as “…the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations” and a Diplomat as someone who “…typically represents a country abroad“. But, of course it’s a lot more subtle than that. It’s about building relationships and understanding cultures; it’s about gathering information and … Read more »Digitalising Diplomacy in Malaysia

  For one Malaysian family, 2013 has started in the worst possible way. Mr Chong Ngen Chung and many others, including from the UK, have become the latest victims  in what our Prime Minister has rightly described as a ‘…generational struggle against an ideology which is an extreme distortion of the Islamic faith, and which holds that mass murder and terror are not only acceptable but necessary’. The thoughts and … Read more »The Scourge of Terrorism Returns…

I board a flight this evening to spend Christmas with my wife’s family in Brisbane and I finally have a chance to reflect on what was, by any measure, the most extraordinary year for the UK-Malaysia bilateral relationship. A year which has seen our links across virtually all sectors, from education to trade, grow to unprecedented levels. A year that has seen us firmly deliver the message that ‘Britain is … Read more »An Extraordinary Year…

What would you say if I told you that you could receive an all-expenses paid scholarship to a world-renowned British university and have the chance to join a global network of future leaders from a range of fields and industries? You would want to know more, wouldn’t you? Well, the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has just launched the application window for the 2013 Chevening Scholarships programme. The Chevening … Read more »Chevening Scholarships: Free, Chevening Experience: Priceless

As I sit on the most beautiful stretch of white sand on Pulau Redang, I finally have time to reflect on what was, by any measure, the most extraordinary of weeks. I am feeling a strange mix of exhilaration and exhaustion: exhilaration because I think we organised a royal visit that was rich in diversity and colour; and exhaustion because, for four months, we put our heart and soul into … Read more »‘Daddy, is it okay if I give the Princess a kiss?’

With less than a week to go until The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Malaysia, the High Commission team is in overdrive trying to ensure that all of the events have been planned to the last detail and that we have the protocol, security and media requirements just right. I feel incredibly proud of how the High Commission has risen to this task, and with the outstanding support … Read more »They’re Almost Here…

I am delighted that Tony Collingridge, the Director of UK Trade & investment in Malaysia, has agreed to write a guest blog on the Premier League and the importance of an overseas business strategy. As an ardent Liverpool supporter, I would just like to add that we remain one of the best-supported clubs in Malaysia despite our lack of success! Even though I’m a lifelong Chelsea fan, my wife and … Read more »Football Fever