London: A shipment of Malaysian palm oil from Sabah totalling 100,000 tonnes entered the storage depot at the Port of Liverpool, England, on April 5, said Malaysian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland Datuk Zakri Jaafar. This marked the first consignment of Malaysian palm oil under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with zero tariff, he said.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, through the CPTPP, Malaysian and UK companies are now able to expand their markets further and can enhance bilateral trade prospects. Datuk Zakri Jaafar shared this during a dinner hosted for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, at the Malaysian High Commission in London on Friday. The event was attended by 80 guests, including students, representatives from government-linked companies, as well as high commission staff.
Among those present were Fadillah’s wife Datin Seri Ruziah Mohd Tahir, Tenaga Nasional Bhd chief new energy officer Mohd Zarihi Mohd Hashim, Sarawak Energy Bhd group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili, and a delegation from the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA). The UK acceded to the CPTPP on December 15 last year, becoming the first European country to join the Asia-Pacific trade bloc. For Malaysia, the CPTPP agreement came into effect on November 29, 2022.
On the renewable energy sector, Zakri noted Malaysia’s involvement in the UK will yield long-term benefits for the country, particularly in technology transfer. He highlighted the launch of high-capacity solar farms operated by a TNB subsidiary at Eastfield and Bunkers Hill in January this year as an example of Malaysia’s capability to participate in global sustainable energy solution efforts. The solar farms, with a combined capacity of 102 MW, were inaugurated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on January 17 during his official visit to the UK.
Malaysia is the UK’s fourth-largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, with total trade reaching RM15.30 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, Malaysia’s total investment in the UK reached £19 billion (£1=RM5.81) in the same year.