Malaysia, UK Reaffirm Commitment To Strengthen Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and the United Kingdom (UK) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation and promoting dialogue on legislative best practices, democratic governance and Parliamentary reforms.

According to the statement issued by the Office of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker, this was among the topics discussed during a bilateral meeting between Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and the Speaker of the House of Commons of the UK, Lindsay Hoyle, at the Parliament building here today.

“The meeting underscored the long-standing and robust Parliamentary ties between Malaysia and the UK, providing an opportunity to address contemporary challenges and seize new opportunities for cooperation.

“This follows Johari's meeting with Hoyle at the House of Commons in April 2024,” the statement read.

It also said that both Speakers also deliberated on regional and global challenges, including cybersecurity, climate change, economic resilience as well as the role of parliaments in fostering peace and security.

Both parties also expressed interest in collaborative efforts to improve gender parity in Parliamentary representation as well as youth leadership.

“A key highlight of the meeting was the discussion on enhancing capacity-building programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives between the Parliament of Malaysia and the UK Parliament,” the statement said.

The UK is Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner among European countries, with total trade amounting to RM16.8 billion (USD3.68 billion).

Total exports were recorded at RM8.61 billion (USD1.89 billion), while total imports stood at RM8.19 billion (USD1.79 billion) compared to 2023.

-- BERNAMA