Where did the time go?

I originally started writing this post somewhere in June - but things have been so busy, I didn't get to finish it off at the time and upload the photos.  And now we are about to embark on our annual Australia-Malaysia Ball.  So it is definitely time I update everyone on some of our recent events and news.  There have been more, including a number of citizenship ceremonies and other events, but these are the highlights.  Each one of these events could in itself be a post, but I'll try and give a brief overview of each.

Visit to Logan City Council with MIDA and Dinner with MIDA on the Gold Coast

MIDA Sydney representatives, Gulam and Balqis, came on a visit to Queensland.  We accompanied them to meet with Logan City Council, (followed by a quick visit to our favourite Logan restaurant, Yahoo), and then the AMBCQ hosted a dinner for MIDA on the Gold Coast. We have a number of new members on the Gold Coast and it was great to meet up with them.





Parkinson Ward Dragon Boat Festival, Forest Lake

As anyone who follows this blog will know, we love dragon boat - it has been a great activity to be involved in, bringing in new members, promoting the AMBCQ, and creating a real sense of camaraderie and teamwork.  Three years ago we had our first regatta at the Parkinson Ward Dragon Boat Festival, and three years later we are still having a great time.  Unfortunately, we didn't improve on last year's result - we came third this time, while we have come second for the last two years.  But that just gives us something to strive for next year!  The Festival is organised by Councilor Angela Owen-Taylor and the Hakka Association and it is a great community event.








Dinner forum with prominent Malaysian lawyer, Edmund Bon, Partner with Chooi and Partners, and former Malaysian Bar Council Committee member

The AMBCQ hosted Edmund Bon at Sun Fay Restaurant at Indooroopilly. We were also joined by Cr Steven Huang, Councillor for MacGregor Ward, who has been a great supporter of AMBCQ.  Edmund spoke about issues facing the Malaysian legal profession currently, and also issues arising from the recent General Election.  It was a great opportunity for members and supporters to discuss the landscape in Malaysia following the conclusion of the 13th General Election.

Dinner with David Gibson MP, Member for Gympie and Chair of the State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee

David gave us a very interesting insight into some of the issues facing regional Queensland, specifically Gympie.  He spoke about the recovery of the area since the floods earlier this year, as well as the ongoing fallout from the previous Government's Mary River dam project.  The project was ultimately scrapped, but the whole process saw a lot of upheaval in the electorate over many years, upheaval which still is not fully resolved.  He also gave us a briefing on his role as the Chair of the State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee and some of the key infrastructure issues currently facing the State.

Lunch with the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Deputy Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

The AMBCQ took a table at this event, and we were privileged to be able to share a few minutes with the Deputy Opposition Leader to discuss issues related to Malaysia and the Malaysian community.  We also presented the Deputy Opposition Leader with a hand crafted map of Asia to recognise her contribution in her role.


Live Malaysian Election Coverage with cross overs to Malaysian candidates and commentators

We hosted an open event for Malaysia watchers in conjunction with the Malaysian Election .  We had live updates of the count, plus live cross overs via Skype to candidates, election workers and commentators.  

Dinner with the Hon Lawrence Springborg MP, Minister for Health, at Parliament House

The AMBCQ was privileged to be able to host this dinner at Parliament House, which was facilitated by Freya Ostapovitch MP, Member for Stretton.  Freya has been a wonderful supporter and she was very helpful in organising the event.  Lawrence speech gave an indepth explanation of many of the issues in the Health Department and how the Government is dealing with these very difficult issues.  Health has been a real problem in Queensland politics for a long time, and it was great to hear the many reforms that Lawrence is introducing as Minister.

Biggest morning tea - Cancer Foundation Fundraiser

Looking fantastic, those giant yellow balloons really make an impact!

Down by the water at Manly, what a lovely venue.

We were very pleased to support our friend and AMBCQ member Diana from House of Events this week at her Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser event for the Cancer Foundation.  And what a fabulous event it was!  The morning tea was at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, which is a really beautiful venue, right on the water, of course.  Comscentre, a very strong supporter of AMBCQ, also supported the event.  I have to say just about everything I can think of was perfectly pitched!  The food, the little yellow cupcakes, the prizes, the jumping castle, and the giant yellow balloons! And being during the school holidays, I really appreciated that kids were welcome and in fact encouraged to come along.  You can imagine how much they enjoyed themselves with a jumping castle and the Club's playground at their disposal.  What a fantastic morning! 

It's so big, it's almost a planet!! We could only squeeze
one balloon into the car.

All the children who came along were given the chance to bring home one of these giant yellow balloons - we could only take one in our car.  It is much loved by our daughter Ilmi and I'm afraid she's going to be very sad when it finally bursts or goes down.

Events like this are never easy to pull off, but Diana did an amazing job.  It is true, everyone is always busy, and each of us have a million things to do each day.  Not everyone is willing to put themselves out in order to create an event to bring people together in support of an important cause.  It is great to be able to attend a wonderful, fun event, AND support the Cancer Foundation.  I'm looking forward to next year's event already!

If anyone would like to engage the services of a very good events planner, I would be happy to put you in touch with Diana and House of Events.

Kiong speaking to Diana while our Ilkka enjoys
the chance to play with one of the balloons.

I won something! A BMW pack with hats (enough
for all our kids!), a picnic set, and a big umbrella.
We just need the car to go with it now. ;)

Queen's Birthday Honours

The Queen's Birthday Honours were announced last week, and while all the recipients are of course exceptional (or they would not have been recognised in the first place!), there are a number of notable recipients from an AMBCQ perspective: Dr Simon Longstaff, Greg Vickery and Prof Yew-Chaye Loo, all three of whom I have had the pleasure of knowing or working with outside the AMBCQ as well as within an AMBCQ context.

Professor Yew-Chaye Loo AM

Firstly, we’d like to congratulate AMBCQ member and prominent Griffith University academic, Professor Yew-Chaye Loo for being awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).  Malaysian born Professor Loo is the Foundation Professor of Civil Engineering at Griffith University and Director of Internationalisation and Professional Liaison for the Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology Group at Griffith University, and was awarded for his services to civil and structural engineering. Professor Loo has written a truckload of books and articles on engineering, and many of his works are considered seminal.

This is not the first time Professor Loo has received such an acknowledgement.  He also was recognised by the Chinese Government (through the World Chinese Venture Model Association in conjunction with the China Association for Promoting International Scientific and Technical Cooperation) "the 2011 World Top 10 Enterprising Pioneer of Chinese Descent".  In 2011, the AMBCQ gave Professor Loo a commemorative plaque in recognition of this honour at a function in Kuala Lumpur.  

It is a wonderful honour to be bestowed upon Professor Loo and an acknowledgement of the calibre of the staff of Griffith University.

Kiong Chan, AMBCQ President, Kevin Field, Principal Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and Greg Vickery AM AO at the AMBCQ/QYO reception for the Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, December 2012, Brisbane.   Greg has been a strong supporter of the QYO, among many other artistic organisations in Queensland.

Another prominent Queenslander to acknowledge is Greg Vickery AM.  It is the second time Greg has been recognised with one of these honours, and this time he has been appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO).  Greg served as the Indonesian Honorary Consul, the National Chairman and President of Red Cross, and President of the Queensland Law Society, among many other roles.  Greg played a prominent role as the Honorary Consul for a long time, and performed many duties that went beyond the call of his role to serve the Indonesian community in Brisbane and Queensland for many years.  He is also a very strong supporter and patron of the arts scene in Brisbane, as well as being a highly respected and well known legal figure.

The inaugural A2ELP cohort in Kuala Lumpur, 2011,
a great bunch of people chosen for this unique opportunity.
I'm on the far left and Simon is behind me.

One other person I'd like to acknowledge is Dr Simon Longstaff who also became an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).  Simon is a prominent philosopher and educater in ethics, and is associated particularly with the St James Ethics Centre.  Simon was a key facilitator for the ASEAN Australia Emerging Leaders Programme (A2ELP) in 2011 which was supported by the Australia Malaysia Institute and held in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the Asia Pacific Roundtable.  I was privileged to be chosen for the programme, and Simon was a great mentor and facilitator to all of participants.

Event with Senator Bob Carr, Foreign Minister, 7th May

Some of our guests - Stu Myerscough from Air Asia,
Dr Peter Yeoh OAM and Mrs Alice Yeoh, with
Kiong Chan, AMBCQ President

The last month has been extremely busy for AMBCQ - so much so that I have not had much of a chance to update this blog.  Although there is a lot to write about, I will just share with you first our recent event with the Senator the Hon. Bob Carr, Australia's Foreign Minister.  This event was a real highlight for all members and guests who attended and we considered it an enormous privilege to host the Foreign Minister.  We also hosted another special guest, the Hon. Bernie Ripoll MP who is Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer and Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business.  The significant positions they both hold and the high degree of relevance of their portfolios to AMBCQ members meant that the presence of both gentlemen at our event was of great interest to members of our Business Council.

Bernie Ripoll speaking to Kiong Chan and Scott Hutchinson,
of Hutchinson Builders

Senator Carr covered a wide range of topics in his speech - ASEAN, MAFTA, US-Australia and US-China relations, the Asian Century, Australia's position on the Security Council, Australia's economic resilience and many more topics.  And of course, he had some lovely stories to share with us regarding Malaysia, as his wife Helena is Malaysian-born.  He is a great speaker and the depth and rigour of his analysis and his knowledge is of course impressive.  But you would expect no less from a leader of his calibre, a former Premier of New South Wales and current Foreign Minister.

Bernie Ripoll also made a great speech, speaking about some of his recent experiences representing the Australian Government at the Asian Development Bank meetings in India.  He brought up the issue of Australia's economic resilience and spoke about what Australia is doing right in an international context.

Senator Carr

Both of our guests participated in a discussion panel with Kiong and I toward the end of the event, and we discussed a series of strategic and international issues, focusing on Australia's trade agreements, Malaysia, US relations, and of course China.  It was a robust and insightful discussion, and much appreciated by the audience.  Senator Carr and Mr Ripoll were very generous with their time and spoke to many of the guests before the official event started and stayed until the end to hear from them as well.  The AMBCQ presented Senator Carr with a gift - a replica antique map from 1680 crafted by master map maker Edwin Clark.  The map shows some of the gaps in knowledge that were around in that era, and how much time and technology has advanced our knowledge of the world.  We also presented Bernie with a gift - another replica antique map crafted by Edwin, this time the 1823 Oxley map, which is the first map of Brisbane, made by John Oxley in the earliest days of European contact.  Bernie is the member for Oxley and was thus delighted to receive it.

Rather than write too much about the event, the video below provides some of the speeches from the event.  It was a truly great event, a privilege to be involved and a joy to interact with these two wonderful leaders.

Shona, Bernie Ripoll, Senator Carr and Kiong Chan during the discussion panel

Kiong presenting a gift to Senator Carr to thank him for being our guest

Shona, Senator Carr, Lai Peng Chan and Kiong Chan

To view the video on Youtube, go to http://youtu.be/wW9QdtBPdKQ, or look for our Youtube Channel, AMBCQ.    

GE 13 Finally called

Finally, after a long wait and much anticipation, the Malaysian Parliament was dissolved today, signalling that the 13th General Election will soon be called.  The upcoming election will also mean the dissolution of the State Parliaments.The date of the election has been the subject of speculation for a very long time - even two years ago, there was a sense of anticipation that the election was imminent, and that sense has dragged on through crisis after crisis, and prediction after prediction. Speculation as to the date is ongoing - the Electoral Commission has still not set a date.  Malaysian elections are generally a lot shorter than what we are used to here in Australia.  While a seven day official campaigning period is not unheard of, and it is widely expected that the election date will be set for sometime before the end of April.

As most Malaysia watchers will know, the results of the 12th GE were unprecedented, a shock to the whole political system.  After more than 50 years of rule of single party rule, the Opposition won a significant number of seats, enough to make Malaysia look like a mature and active democracy.  The Opposition parties won more than 80 seats in the 222 seat Parliament.  Barisan Nasional, the long ruling coalition was reelected but lost its two thirds majority - significant as the two thirds majority allows for changes to the constitution.

On face value, most Australians would wonder what all the fuss was about.  The Government did not change and indeed 80 seats is not even close to taking power.  But it was indeed a revelation for electors and politicians as to what the possibilities for democracy in Malaysia.  It gave the electorate a glimpse of the power they as voters had always had, but never really believed in or had confidence in.

The extended speculation also signals the changes that the 12th General Election wrought on Malaysian society and political psyche.  The results of the 12th GE completely changed expectations across the board and it is clear to see, whatever side of politics you support, that the landscape has changed irrevocably.  There has indeed been a fresh and renewed interest in all things political and a scrutiny and expectation of transparency that would have seemed unthinkable a decade ago.  How times change.

Many positive outcomes have come from the previous election, including increased transparency, a focus on performance rather than rhetoric, a more engaged and vocal electorate, and accountability for all.  Hopefully the next election will bring even more positive change for Malaysia, no matter which side of politics wins.

I originally wrote this article for 'New Media and the Informed Citizen'.  New Media and the Informed Citizen is Paradigm Infinitum's ongoing comparative study of new media and its impact on politics and citizen engagement in Australia and Malaysia.  

Healthcare Tourism - A New Growth Industry for Malaysia

We recently spent several days assisting the Malaysian Government's Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council on a visit to Queensland.  The MHTC were visiting Brisbane to participate in the Travel Expo at the Brisbane Convention Centre and had decided to try and engage some of the key stakeholders here in Brisbane while they were here.

What is Healthcare Tourism? It is basically going overseas to access medical or healthcare. This can range from routine but expensive procedures or care, such as dental care, optometry services, and podiatry, to major procedures such as plastic surgery and hip replacements and major operations.  And why would the Australian market do this? Because of relative healthcare costs, waiting lists, and access to specialists.  Often the cost of having a procedure undertaken here can be as or more expensive than flights, having the procedure undertaken in a top private hospital, living expenses and hospital stay while overseas. Plus you get a holiday to relax and recoup.

Malaysia's Government has identified Healthcare Tourism as a key new growth industry for Malaysia.  Thailand is already doing well out of this industry, and it is a natural fit for Malaysia given the standard of healthcare, currency exchange rates, and its current status as a tourism centre.    About 10,000 Australians already access healthcare in Malaysia - these are mostly expatriates and their families as well as tourists.  The infrastructure is all there, now it's just a matter of marketing it to the world.

During the visit, MHTC hosted luncheon for stakeholders and we invited a limited number of AMBCQ members to participate.  MHTC Director, Dr Mary Wong, gave a very informative talk about the industry and its possibilities in Malaysia.  We also heard from a prominent doctor from Prince Court Hospital, one of Malaysia's leading hospitals, Dr Gee, who is a specialists in bariatrics.          Dr Gee discussed some of the practicalities of undergoing surgery in a private hospital in Malaysia, and the specialists operations and support provided to patients.

Healthcare Tourism has been in the news lately and was featured rather negatively on TV on a recent 'A Current Affairs' story.  Interestingly enough, the online comments in response to the story were strongly supportive of overseas healthcare options, and were quite cynical of the critics and their "vested interests".  

Chinese New Year 2013 - Year of the Snake events

Chinese New Year is always a great time for members to get together.  We haven't been involved in as many events as in the past, due to other matters we were involved in, as the previous post explains.  With Australia Day washed out (for the third year in a row), we were looking forward to the start of the Year of the Snake and we still made the most of the events that were on.

Our AMBCQ Water Dragons team!

Once again this year, AMBCQ put a team into the Chinese New Year Dragon Boat Regatta at South Bank.  This is our second year in this regatta and the competition is pretty fierce.  There were 16 teams this year, the majority being corporate teams.  It proved a bit difficult to get a full team together as the regatta was scheduled on Chinese New Year Eve, so many of our Malaysian and Singaporean regulars had returned for the celebrations.  The training schedule was also interrupted by the floods and we were only able to get two sessions on the water before the race day, so we felt unprepared.

That's the AMBCQ Water Dragons in the foreground!

Luckily, the day was lovely and sunny and a lot of fun as usual.  We didn't win - I'm not sure if we even did well, but it's still a great day of chatting, laughing and snacking in between racing.  The team started out very promisingly, leading in the first race, only to lose steam near the end and fade to a third placing.  That was the best showing of the day unfortunately.  The team changed tactics a couple of times, but the lack of training showed.  Never mind, there's always next year - and now, we have our eyes on the Parkinson Ward Dragon Boat race in June.  That's the one we would really like to win this year!

Cheryl, Vincent and Mark Stewart MP

We were also very pleased to be able to attend the Premier's Chinese New Year reception at Parliament House.  It was the first time the Newman Government has hosted the event, but much of the format was carried over from previous years.  Of course the CNY event at Parliament was introduced by long-time AMBCQ stalwarts Dr Peter Yeoh and Mrs  Alice Yeoh, who also provided the inspiration for the annual Indian Community Reception at Parliament. It is a privilege to be able to attend an event at Parliament and we were able to catch up with many friends, including political friends, such as Cr Steven Huang, Freya Ostapovitch, Mark Stewart, David Gibson, Lawrence Springborg, and a host of others.  It was a shame that the bells kept ringing for divisions during the event and most of the MPs had to rush back into the Chamber.  We've been to many of these events before and that had never been the case in previous years.  I can only think that perhaps one of the scheduled debates had gone over time and they weren't able to delay it.

Ben, Sapphira, Lion! and Vim.

Andrei, Jolyn, Kiong, Izzy, Calyvn and Sapphira

Dessert at Sunnybank after the Premier's event - that's Ilmi scowling in the foreground. The dessert was great, she just doesn't like getting her photo taken. Ilmi, me, Ilkka, Kiong, Ivan, Cheryl, Vincent and Maxwell.

Finally we had our AGM - (technically it was the day after the last day of Chinese New Year, but close enough still). Our current serving executive was returned, and Kiong laid out plans for some new directions this coming year.  In particular we look with interest to some new opportunities on the horizon, the continuation of our growth and providing more service to our members.

In memory of Andrew

It is now almost the middle of the 15 day Chinese New Year celebrations and we've had a few recent events that I should be writing about.  However, today I think it is more appropriate to reflect on our activities this week.  This past week, quite a bit of our time, and Kiong's time in particular, has been involved in helping a family of a Malaysian who died here in Queensland. Andrew went missing during the recent floods while travelling near Gatton, and his body was recovered from Sandy Creek.  His mother and his uncle flew to Brisbane to bring his remains home to Malaysia.  He was in his mid 30s.

Andrew was his mother's only child and her sole source of support. As you can imagine, his mother is devastated. She doesn't just have to deal with her own grief and pain, but also all the red tape and arrangements that must be made in such cases.  It's not an easy path to navigate, and in Andrew's case it was further complicated because of the circumstances of his death.  There are many people to liaise with - the Police, Liaison Officers, Department of Foreign Affairs, Malaysian High Commission, Work Cover, his Bank, the Coroner, and of course the funeral home and crematorium.  Without knowing what to do or without some guidance, it would be very easy to get confused and feel overwhelmed, even for a local.

Kiong was approached by the Malaysian High Commission to help provide support to the family and to deal with the bureaucracy and all stakeholders.  As always the High Commission staff have shown much care and concern for the welfare of their nationals, and they have been very helpful.  The Police Liaison Officers -  public servants who work tirelessly for the people of Queensland, have been incredibly helpful and supportive throughout the whole process.  We cannot speak more highly of them.  Purdy and Weng Mun have taken so much time to help Andrew's mum and uncle and have stepped them through all parts of the process.  When there have been difficulties, they have been persistent and pressed to make sure that the family have received the care and consideration they deserve and the answers they need.  The Malaysian High Commission has also liaised closely with us and with the Police Liaison Officers to ensure everything is in place for the repatriation of his remains.  Martin Gomes from Metropolitan Funerals has provided his expertise and care through all aspects of the funeral arrangements.

We attended the service in memory of Andrew yesterday at Mount Thompson Crematorium.  His mother and his uncle, the Police Liaison Officers, the funeral director Martin Gomes, and a few of us AMBCQ members, Kiong, Ben, myself and baby Alvar were in attendance.  In the absence of a pastor, Kiong conducted a brief service for the family, and we organised a small wake afterwards.  Andrew hadn't been in Australia for very long and it seems his lifestyle here was basic.  His efforts were concentrated on supporting himself and being able to send some funds home to his mother.

Andrew had come to Australia for the same reason as many others - to find a better life for himself and to provide for his family.  It is very tragic way for all those dreams to end, so far from those who loved him the most. And for his mother who no doubt had aspirations for him and for the future for her child, the tragedy will stay with her for the rest of her life.

Sometimes we are involved in activities that go far beyond the normal activities of typical bilateral business councils.  Our members are highly supportive of this, and know that while we are a government-recognised business council, that profit cannot be the sole driver and purpose of any organisation, and members of the Australia Malaysia bilateral business community in Queensland and even elsewhere support AMBCQ strongly on this and other points. This is also why we have been approached not just by Malaysians but also by Australians, Americans, Chinese, Singaporeans and others for all types of assistance and support through word of mouth.    

The last few days have been sad and confronting days, as will the next few days until Andrew arrives back to his loved ones, but it has also been a privilege to be witness to Andrew's memory, and a privilege to spend time with his family and try to provide any comfort we can.

Kicking off 2013 with a weekend of fun

This weekend just past saw our first events of the year.  Our dragon boat team had their first training session on Saturday at Colmslie on the Brisbane River with the Brisbane River Dragons in preparation for the Chinese New Year regatta at Southbank on the 9th February.  That will be Chinese New Year eve,  and some of our seasoned team members aren't available - also we have lost a few members who have returned to Malaysia or Singapore.  So we have a few experienced dragon boaters along with quite a few who are very new to the sport.

It was a very hot day, but luckily it was breezy on the river.  Training is hard work - much harder than race day. Getting the technique, maintaining the stamina, keeping in time with the other paddlers - it's exhausting but it's very rewarding when it all comes together.  During the regatta itself, each race is about 250 metres, and we get a breather in between races, so it's not as physically demanding overall.  But you really must focus so intently, otherwise it all falls apart!  

On Sunday a group of us got together to watch two Malaysian movies screening at the Asia Pacific Triennial at the Gallery of Modern Art.  "Mukhsin" and "Flower in the Pocket" screened one after the other making for a rare Malaysian movie marathon in Brisbane!  Both were very good movies - "Mukhsin" by the late Yasmin Ahmad was definitely the more audience friendly of the two, while "Flower in the Pocket" by Liew Seng Tat had a much edgier feel to it.  But they were both great representatives of modern Malaysian cinema.  It is unfortunate that, like all the other films screened through the almost four months of the Asia Pacific Triennial, they will only screen once.

"Mukhsin" is a very charming tale of love and friendship set in a kampung - it is in some ways a typical coming of age story, but it shuns some of the genre's narrative conventions. It has a gentle sense of humour typical of Malay movies, but also uses this humour to cut at some Malay kampung conventions.  It is a lovely experience with very good performances and beautiful cinematography. 

"Flower in the Pocket" opens with a little boy poking around in the dirt and rubbish with a stick - and this is the feel of the film, poking around at those dark and dirty places to expose the less glamourous aspects of life in Kuala Lumpur.  There are some troubling themes dealt with in this film, but again, by using humour and using the child like perspective of its two main protagonists, it softens the grittiness of the film and makes it more palatable.  I wasn't able to see the whole of this film (my baby became too restless), but I think it is well worth another look.   

Although they are both very different, they are very much Malaysian films - they do not try to be Hollywood, or Hong Kong, or arthouse, or anything they are not.  It's not easy for small national cinemas like Malaysia's, or even like our own, to produce strong assured films like this, so it was very pleasing to see.

Afterwards we met up at Blue Gulabi in Wooloongabba for a Malaysian Indian meal - dosai, idli and chutneys, along with payasam and teh tarik. We stayed til it was almost closing time - I guess it was good company.  Thanks to all those who helped make the weekend a great start to the year!

Overview of 2012 and a recap of October to December

Last year was a great year for AMBCQ.  After 6 years of hard work, the AMBCQ has really come a long way and the fruits of all that labour can be seen in the active membership base, the strong business and political networks, and the collaborative relationships we have with our partners.  We had a very busy year, as always, but it was also a very exciting year.  We worked in close collaboration with Malaysian government representatives on many projects, we gained new members, and we ventured into new territory.

We had an extremely successful AMBCQ Ball in September, and we welcomed on board two new corporate supporters - QUT and Griffith University.  Through the year, we had the privilege of hosting the Malaysian High Commissioner, the Australian High Commissioner, the Malaysian Trade Commissioner, the Malaysian Agricultural Consul, the Lord Mayor, and many other dignitaries   We were involved with visits by the Sarawak Housing Minister, the Malaysian Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and the Deputy Prime Minister. Our dragon boat team competed in three regattas and had a great time, and we also supported the Malaysian students' Citra Malaysia event.  And we met briefly with Tun Dr Mahathir - a great privilege.  And MAFTA was passed through the Australian Parliament.

I missed posting about a number of events late last year - October to December were exceptionally busy months for the AMBCQ and for me personally, it coincided with the birth of my third child in October.  In that short amount of time there were seven delegations to Brisbane or the Gold Coast.  This could have been several blog posts, but my hands were full with my newborn, so I didn't get to attend many events. So here is a recap.

Talent Corp Delegation, 11 and 12 October 2012 

Talent Corp (a Malaysian Government entity tasked with developing and enhancing Malaysia's human resource capacity by attracting skilled Malaysians back home) visited a number of capital cities, including Brisbane.  The delegation included businesses and healthcare professionals, and they hosted two information evenings at the Sofitel.  The AMBCQ helped bring together many of the students, professionals and business people who attended these two events.  These were good forums - there was sufficient time for questions and answers, and the participants on all sides were very open and forthcoming about issues of concern.

Delegation led by Sarawak Housing Minister, 14-19 October 2012

Kiong and I assisted the Sarawak Government to organise a visit by a 60-person delegation led by  the Minister for Tourism and for Housing.  Members of AMBCQ were there to receive the delegation at the airport and spent several days with the delegation.  Members of the delegation included the Minister, two Assistant Ministers, an MP, and the Attorney General, numerous top public servants,city council officials, and leading members of the Sarawak Housing Development Association.  The delegation was warmly received by Cr Angela Owen-Taylor representing the Lord Mayor. 

AMBCQ also helped to organise meetings at Brisbane City Council, Queensland Government and we helped to put together at short notice an afternoon tea with a Queensland Minister the Hon Glen Elmes MP and several of our friends (Mark Boothman MP, Freya Ostapovitch MP, Ian Berry MP, Anthony Shorten MP, Mark Stewart MP, Tarnya Smith MP and Michael Pucci MP) at Queensland Parliament. 

The delegation of over 60 from Sarawak's State Government and Housing Industry met with AMBCQ members at Stamford Plaza, October 2012.  Thank you to Keith Low for the photograph - not easy to take and he managed to jump in as well!

Citra Malaysia festival, 20th October

This festival is in its second year, and AMBCQ was once again heavily involved.  Thanks to all the members who came along to support the event and a very special thanks to those who helped out on the day.  We have some great members who have really been fantastic in supporting these events, especially events like this which are very labour intensive - Rahmat and Anita, Ivan, Ben, Keith, Amirul and Danny (and several others - apologies if I missed acknowledging you as I was in the maternity ward at that time) thank you so much.  And thanks once again to Keith for the photos!

The audience watching performances during the day.

Kiong addressing the audience.

Delegation led by James Chan, Mayor of Kuching South, October 2012

Cr Angela Owen-Taylor, a friend of the Mayor of Kuching South Datuk Mayor James Chan hosted a visit by Mayor Chan and his delegation.  The delegation studied Brisbane's public transport system. AMBCQ President Kiong Chan spent the day with the delegation before hosting afternoon tea at the Hilton, and seeing the delegation off at the airport later that night.

Deepavali, 3rd November

As we always do each year, the AMBCQ supported the Tamil Association's annual Deepavali dinner at the RNA Showgrounds.  This event attracts around 800 people each year, and is a night of performances, food and celebration for the Tamil community.  It is always a lot of fun and it is great to support our friends in the Tamil community.

Malaysian Scientific Diaspora Launch with Malaysian Minister for Higher Education and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, November 2012

The worldwide launch of the Malaysian Scientific Diaspora was held on the Gold Coast to coincide with the visit by Malaysian Minister for Higher Education and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister.  

AMBCQ President Kiong Chan was invited by the Malaysian Government to help form the Malaysian Scientific Diaspora Network.  

The event started with an inaugural luncheon at the Marriott Surfers Paradise with a group of leading scientists, followed by a large official dinner with Ministerfor Higher Education Dato' Sri Khaled Nordin and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at Sheraton Gold Coast.  

At the launch, Kiong made a reply speech following the Deputy Prime Minister's official speech.  He highlighted the numerous possibilities afforded by the newly launched Malaysian Scientific Diaspora Network, and the potential for bilateral collaboration.  Many thanks to those AMBCQ members who participated in the event and helped organise participants.  A special thanks to Rahmat Shazi who along with Qistina Jamil, MCed the event very professionally.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dinner, November 2012

Kiong and I assisted the Malaysian government with several aspects of the Malaysian Deputy prime Minister's visit to Australia.  AMBCQ was invited by the Malaysian government to attend the Deputy Prime Minister's Charity Golf Dinner on the Gold Coast. The event raised money for charity, and the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin Foundation made donations to all Malaysian student associations in Australian and New Zealand universities and all UMNO student branches in Australia and Malaysia.

Malaysian Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, December 2012

This wonderful event was hosted by the Queensland Youth Orchestra at that most interesting of venues, the Old Museum, and home to the Orchestra. AMBCQ was invited to co-host the post concert reception, so we supplied Malaysian food for the reception.  All those who attended had a great evening, and the performance of these young Malaysians was by all accounts truly magnificent.  It was a great privilege to be involved in such a prestigious event.

Visit by Tun Dr Mahathir, December 2012

Tun Dr Mahathir, Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister, was briefly in Queensland on a private visit. Kiong and I were privileged to be invited to meet with Tun Dr Mahathir and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah and we took the opportunity to present the couple with a small gift to add to the official collection at Tun Mahathir's Perdana Leadership Foundation.  

Kiong and I had not had the opportunity to catch up with Tun Mahathir since we last met him during Paradigm Infinitum's NMIC Project in Malaysia in 2009.  Tun Mahathir has lost none of his presence, and we were struck by the couple's warmth, humility and friendliness.  

MAFTA Comes Into Force

With the beginning of the New Year, the Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) now comes into force.  Yesterday Minister Emerson released the following press release.  The press release can also be found at: http://trademinister.gov.au/releases/2013/ce_mr_130101.html 

Trade and Competitiveness Minister Craig Emerson Free Trade Agreement with Malaysia in Force

1 January 2013

Australia’s ground-breaking free trade agreement with Malaysia enters into force today, opening up opportunities for exporters and investors across most sectors.

From today, 97.6 per cent of Australian goods currently exported to Malaysia are eligible for tariff-free treatment, rising to 99 per cent in 2017.

Service providers - including universities, schools, banks, insurers, telecoms companies and accountancy firms - will also benefit, with increased access to the Malaysian market and an easing of rules on control of Malaysian businesses.

Trade and Competitiveness Minister Craig Emerson said the Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) would further integrate the Australian economy into the fast-growing Asian region.

“It builds on the benefits already flowing from the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA to open up new opportunities for investors and exporters,” Dr Emerson said.

“This high-quality agreement reduces trade barriers, increases transparency and provides greater business certainty, making it easier for Australians to do business in Malaysia.”

Dr Emerson said Australian exporters would benefit from improved market access for a variety of goods and services, including liquid milk and processed foods, automotive vehicles and parts, iron and steel.

Under MAFTA, the remaining Australian tariffs on Malaysian goods have been removed, helping lower the cost of consumer goods for Australians.

MAFTA is Australia’s seventh free trade agreement. Agreements are already in force with Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, the United States and the multiparty ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA.

And for the Malaysian perspective, here is the press release from MITI (Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry).  http://www.miti.gov.my/cms/content.jsp?id=com.tms.cms.article.Article_d9aa676d-c0a8156f-612c612c-76ab40b2

Malaysia-Australia FTA To Be Implemented Next Month

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia- Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) will come into effect on Jan 1, 2013.

The agreement was signed on May 22, 2012, after 11 round of negotiations, Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said in a statement here today.

The scope of commitments under MAFTA provided a more liberal and predictable operating environment for the business community of both countries, it said.

Under MAFTA, Malaysia will progressively reduce or eliminate tariffs on an agreed list of industrial and agricultural products.

Most of the tariff reduction or elimination will be undertaken on Jan 1, 2013, and subsequently on Jan 1 every year until 2019.

MAFTA will benefit Malaysian exporters as Australia will eliminate 100 per cent of its import duties next month.

"This is the first FTA under which Malaysia will be obtaining immediate tariff elimination on all products from an FTA partner," said MITI.

"In addition to complementing the Asean-Australia-New Zealand FTA, MAFTA will open up new market opportunities for both countries and enhance trade and economic relations between the two countries," it added.

Under MAFTA, Australia will allow Malaysians to wholly-own operations in professional sectors such as legal, accounting, architecture, taxation, dental, veterinary, engineering, urban planning, landscape architecture and management consulting services.

In turn, Malaysia is offering commitments for increased Australian participation in education, telecommunication and financial services, MITI said.

MAFTA is Malaysia's sixth bilateral FTA, following the conclusion of similar agreements with Japan in 2005, Pakistan (2007), New Zealand (2009), India (2011) and Chile (2010).

MAFTA also seeks to promote increased economic cooperation in the form of technical programmes mainly in the areas of automotive, tourism, agriculture, e-commerce and clean coal technology.

Trade between Malaysia and Australia grew by 11.1 per cent to RM38.49 billion in 2011 from RM34.2 billion in 2010.

Exports to Australia in 2011 totalled RM25.68 billion and imports amounted to RM12.81 billion.

-- BERNAMA