KUALA LUMPUR: The latest political situation in Britain may be tricky but its High Commissioner here says it will be “business as usual” with Malaysia.“The relationship between Britain and Malaysia does not change. We have been friends, and allies and partners for a very long time,” Vicki Treadell said at the British High Commission as the results of the British polls held yesterday trickled in. The outcome created a hung parliament, with the ruling Conservatives winning 318 seats (a reduction of 12 seats) which was short of a majority in the 650-seat House of Commons. The Labour Party won 261 seats, an improvement of 29 seats. No single party was able to secure the 326 seats needed for an overall majority.
The Ipoh-born Treadell, who was posted here in 2014, said both nations would continue to strengthen relations, particularly in trade, education and tourism, while working closely to counter extremism. “Successive British governments have vested in the relationship with Malaysia, and the Malaysian and British people, regardless of governments, have always connected and done things together. That is how I see it continuing,” she added. Treadell said a Malaysian delegation of tech companies was headed to Britain this week while plans for 50 British tech companies to come here were on track.