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INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND FOREIGN RELATIONS INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND FOREIGN RELATIONS
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA

CENTRE FOR POLITICAL

STUDIES AND ECONOMIC

DIPLOMACY (PSED)

The Centre for Political Studies and Economic Brexit as a chance to forge new trade partnerships
Diplomacy (PSED) focuses on diplomacy and and revitalise old ones, notably with Southeast Asian
international relations, bilateral and multilateral nations through the Association of Southeast Asian
political, economic and trade relations as well as Nations (ASEAN) platform. For this reason, the UK will
traditional and nontraditional issues. The Centre be focusing on pursuing initiatives to further engage
aims to promote and accomplish high standards and cooperate with ASEAN and become ASEAN’s newest
of professionalism in discourse, research and Dialogue Partner.
publication as well as consultancy services in the
Institute’s quest to become a premier think tank in Sharing his thoughts on the implication of Brexit to
diplomacy and international relations. Southeast Asia, H.E. Hay explained that the UK is
keen to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) from
Ambassador Lecture Series 1/2021 potential investors in the region and the country’s stable
legal system and common law practice would be an
The British High Commissioner to Malaysia His advantage.
Excellency Charles Hay MVO, was invited to speak on
Brexit & Its Implications for Southeast Asia during IDFR’s On UK-Malaysia relations, H.E. Hay emphasised that the
Ambassador Lecture Series (ALS) held on 8 March 2021. UK-Malaysia education cooperation will not be affected
A total of 50 participants from embassies and high by the Brexit move. In fact, the UK has just launched
commissions as well as officials from the ministries, a new educational initiative aimed at strengthening
government agencies, and higher learning institutions bilateral ties. According to H.E. Hay, 80,000 Malaysians
attended the virtual session. are now studying at tertiary education in the United
Kingdom, in which 30,000 of them are pursuing their
High Commissioner Hay began his speech by outlining
the reasons for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from
the regional bloc. Among the reasons mentioned were
concerns on the European Union (EU) that had become
more inward thinking and imposed continual restrictions
on the UK’s trade policy. On top of that, he stated that
the emerging discussion about sovereignty in the
Brexit referendum was framed in terms of authority,
competence, and ultimately, legislative freedom.
The High Commissioner underlined that the UK sees

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