The service was held to recognise and remember the contribution of British, Malaysian, Commonwealth and other international military servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

The service this year was the first since the pandemic started. The annual Remembrance service had to be called off in 2020 due to the necessary restrictions surrounding COVID.

During the reduced service, High Commissioners, Ambassadors and Defence Advisers and Attaches from a number of nations stood in respectful silence alongside representatives from the Malaysian Armed Forces and Malaysian Veterans’ Associations.

In his welcome address, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, His Excellency Charles Hay MVO said:

This year marks the 76th year since the end of the Second World War. As we remember those who died – you will find in Malaysia alone over 7,000 headstones in 35 separate locations. Those who lie beneath them were from the UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, Nepal and elsewhere. They fought shoulder to shoulder and now lie side by side. Many of them remain unidentified.

Hay also paid respects to civilians who lost their lives:

We also remember in particular all those involved in, and those who lost their lives in the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) and the Konfrontasi in the 1960s.

The service continued with readings by, among others, Captain Antony Stockbridge Royal Navy, the Defence Advisor at the British High Commission. Captain Stockbridge said after the service:

Having only commenced my appointment in Malaysia some three months ago, I am humbled to be able to take part in today’s event, my first Remembrance service in Kuala Lumpur. Although scaled down in accordance with Covid SOPs, I am glad that we had the opportunity to pay our respects to the servicemen and women who served and fought for our countries. Lest we forget.

After observing two minutes of silence in respect of the fallen heroes, the ceremony ended with the traditional laying of wreaths at the base of the Cenotaph, a solemn tribute to those who gave their lives in the name of peace.

On 4 January 2022, the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act – the biggest shake-up in 20 years of the UK’s system for screening investments for risks to national security – will come into full force across the UK.  

Today (Monday 15 November 2021), further guidance to help businesses understand their legal duties under the NSI Act has been published.

From 4 January 2022, the government will be able to scrutinise and intervene in certain acquisitions made by anyone, including businesses and investors, that could harm the UK’s national security.

The government will be able to impose certain conditions on an acquisition or, if necessary, unwind or block it – although the government expects to do this rarely and the vast majority of deals will be able to proceed without delay. 

Businesses and investors are encouraged to get ready for the changes and the guidance published today will help to ensure a smooth transition to the new rules. The guidance helps businesses and investors to:

• assess whether the government must be notified of an acquisition. Mandatory notification will apply across 17 sensitive areas of the economy, including Artificial Intelligence and Civil Nuclear
• understand what to expect when they submit a notification form and go through the NSI notification and assessment process. This includes information on what parties can expect while their acquisition is being considered, such as requests for further information and when to expect final decisions on clearance

Business Minister Lord Callanan said:

The UK is world-renowned as an attractive place to invest, however we will not hesitate to intervene where necessary to protect our national security.  

The new investment screening process will be simpler and quicker, giving investors and firms the certainty they need to do business, and I urge them to make sure they are ready for the changes before they come into force in January.

Today, the government has also laid 2 pieces of secondary legislation. These are:

• the Procedure for Service Statutory Instrument, which sets out how the government sends and receives documents under the Act
• the Form and Content of Notification Forms Statutory Instrument, which sets out what information is required in the notification forms parties can submit to the government under the Act. 

Today’s publication builds on guidance issued in July. That guidance covered:

• an overview of the Act; 
• how the Act could affect people or acquisitions outside the UK
• how the Act works with other regulatory requirements
• information for the higher education and research sectors

On 2 November, the Secretary of State published a statement on how he expects to exercise the power to call in acquisitions under the NSI Act (the ‘Section 3 Statement’). This statement sets out the risk factors that he will take into account when making a decision about calling in an acquisition, and the areas of the economy where a call-in is most likely to take place. 

This statement was consulted on in the summer. Businesses and investors can use the statement to assess whether their acquisition may be within scope of the call-in power. 

The 17 sensitive areas of the economy are: 

• Advanced Materials 
• Advanced Robotics 
• Artificial Intelligence 
• Civil Nuclear 
• Communications 
• Computing Hardware 
• Critical Suppliers to Government 
• Cryptographic Authentication 
• Data Infrastructure 
• Defence 
• Energy 
• Military and Dual-Use 
• Quantum Technologies 
• Satellite and Space Technologies 
• Suppliers to the Emergency Services 
• Synthetic Biology 
• Transport 

Nearly 200 countries agreed the “Glasgow Climate Pact” to keep 1.5C alive, but it will only be delivered with a huge global effort.

Agreements made at COP26 include 130 countries across the globe, including Pakistan, committing to end and reverse deforestation, along with cutting methane emissions by 30% by the year 2030. Around 30 big Pakistani businesses signed up to the UK in Pakistan’s 26for26 campaign pledging to halve their carbon emissions by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050.

Last week, the UK announced more than £55 million to help Pakistan build its resilience to the impacts of climate change, manage water more sustainably and unlock climate investment. Pakistan is ranked as the 8th most vulnerable country to climate change with rising temperatures threatening to melt 36% of glaciers along the Hindu Kush and Himalayan range by 2100.

Pakistan has said it aims to produce 60% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and has committed to not importing any new coal. To speed up the phasing out of coal fired power stations, Pakistan signed up to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Energy Transition Mechanism The ADB will help show how early coal plant closure might be achieved.

When the UK took on the COP26 leadership role nearly two years ago, only 30% of the world was covered by net zero targets. This figure is now at around 90%. Over the same period, 154 Parties have submitted new national targets, representing 80% of global emissions.

The UK Presidency has also been focused on driving action to deliver emissions reductions. We have seen a huge shift in coal, with many more countries committing to phase out unabated coal power and ending international coal financing.

While on the world’s roads, the transition to zero emissions vehicles is gathering pace, with some of the largest car manufacturers working together to make all new car sales zero emission by 2040 and by 2035 in leading markets. Countries and cities are following suit with ambitious petrol and diesel car phase out dates.

Notes to editors:

1. COP26 was the largest international event of its kind ever held in the UK with more than 25,000 delegates convening in the city of Glasgow, including world leaders, opinion formers and top businesses.

2. The UK’s £55.5 million new funding for climate change in Pakistan is split into three parts: i) a 5-year climate resilience programme – worth £38 million – will help Pakistan’s poorest communities to protect themselves from the changing climate; ii) a 5-year water governance programme – worth £15 million – will make water use in Pakistan more sustainable and water access fairer; and iii) an additional £2.5 million to support new ways of attracting much needed climate investment to Pakistan, including on the development of a Nature Performance Bond.

3. The “Glasgow Climate Pact” will speed up the pace of climate action. All countries agreed to revisit and strengthen their current emissions targets to 2030, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in 2022. This will be combined with a yearly political roundtable to consider a global progress report and a Leaders summit in 2023.

4. As hosts of COP26 (co-hosted with Italy), the UK had been driving international action and support to adapt to the effects of climate change, which are already impacting lives, livelihoods and natural habitats across the world. Thirty five countries joined the Adaptation Action Coalition, and over 2,000 businesses, investors, regions, cities and other non-state actors joined the Race to Resilience. Over 40 countries and organisations joined the Risk-Informed Early Action Partnership, committing to make 1 billion people safer from disaster by 2025.

5. To support the transition to net zero and climate resilient economies, getting public and private finance flowing is crucial, especially to emerging markets and developing economies. Under the UK’s COP26 & G7 Presidencies, we have seen clear moves towards this goal. G7 countries have committed new finance towards the $100bn in climate finance goal, including more funding for adaptation.

6. The Paris Rulebook, the guidelines for how the Paris Agreement is delivered, was also completed yesterday after six years of discussions. This will allow for the full delivery of the landmark accord, after agreement on a transparency process which will hold countries to account as they deliver on their targets. This includes Article 6, which establishes a robust framework for countries to exchange carbon credits through the UNFCCC.

For further information

For updates on the British High Commission, please follow our social media channels:

Lord Ian Botham has begun his first visit to Australia since his appointment as UK Trade Envoy. In his two month visit he will spend his time in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide meeting key industry stakeholders and business leaders to promote UK-Australia trade and investment opportunities.

The visit coincides with the former England Test captain joining the Seven Network as a commentator for all five Tests in the Australia-England Ashes series.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Lord Botham as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Australia on 23 August 2021. Trade Envoys are drawn from across industry and politics to promote UK trade, drive economic growth and encourage inward investment across all regions of the UK.

During this visit Lord Botham will help to boost export opportunities for British businesses and promote the UK as an attractive place to do business. He will meet with Australian businesses investing in the UK’s clean growth and green finance projects as a result of the UK Government’s commitments in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the Global Investment Summit and COP26.

Lord Botham will build on the already strong relationship between the UK and Australia, promoting existing trade and investment opportunities at the time when the UK and Australia are also moving towards finalising a new free trade agreement.

Lord Ian Botham said:

The UK is home to some of the most innovative and exciting companies in the world.

There are real opportunities for UK-Australia trade and this visit is an opportunity for me to promote the UK as a great place to do business and support businesses from every part of the UK in their expansion to Australia.

Australia has always been like a second home to me, and I am looking forward to meeting the companies and people working across Australia in a range of industries.

British High Commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell said:

It is great to have Lord Botham in Australia to help us champion British goods and services and two-way trade and investment. We have an exciting programme for him and many opportunities to look forward to.

This is an important time in our relationship with Australia, as we deepen and strengthen it further, not least as we look to signing our first from scratch free trade agreement.

With our historic sporting rivalry and as a cricket fan I am of course also eager for the Ashes to begin.

British Consul General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Asia Pacific (Australia & New Zealand), Louise Cantillon said:

I am delighted that Lord Botham has arrived in the country and can begin his important work as a UK Trade Envoy to Australia.

There are thousands of companies already making the most of the exciting trade and investment opportunities between our countries and this visit will capitalise on these opportunities.

My team looks forward to working with Lord Botham as we use his skills, experience and market knowledge to build on this existing momentum.