MALAYSIAN DPM MUHYIDDIN BEGINS UK VISIT THURSDAY

LONDON, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin
will make an official visit to the United Kingdom from Thursday
to Sunday.

Muhyiddin, who is also the education minister, is scheduled to arrive at
London's Heathrow Airport at 5.50 am Thursday.

He will be accompanied by wife, Noorainee Abdul Rahman, as well as
government officials and media representatives.

Muhyiddin starts his official visit on Friday with a meeting with Prof
Frances Corner, head of the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts
London, and will be taken on a tour of the college.

He will perform Friday prayers at the Malaysian High Commission at 45,
Belgrave Square, here.

Later that day, he is scheduled to launch the "Independence Forum: 54 Years
of Independence: Building a Nation, Sharing a Destiny" at a hotel here, which is
expected to be attended by 300 Malaysians, including students in London.

The director of the Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM), Distinguished Professor Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, and
Chief Executive of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS)
Malaysia, Dr Mahani Zainal Abidin, are scheduled to speak on the topic.

Malaysia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Zakaria Sulong, will
act as the moderator.

Muhyiddin is also scheduled to have a meeting and dialogue with the
Malaysian community and students here.

On Saturday, Muhyiddin and his delegation will attend the Independence
Carnival 2011 at the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre in Brickendonbury,
Hertford.

Zakaria, when met by reporters, said Muhyiddin's visit was also an
opportunity for the Malaysian community and students in London to meet the
deputy prime minister and get a briefing on the latest issues back home.

For the record, there are about 70,000 Malaysians in the United Kingdom,
14,000 of them students.