MALAYSIA-UNITED KINGDOM TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONS

    PUTRAJAYA, Oct 7  (Bernama) -- Malaysia and the United Kingdom (UK) have
agreed to strengthen ties, especially in the fields of science, technology and
engineering, said the prime minister's science adviser, Datuk Dr Zakri Abdul
Hamid.
    
    He said the fields also included nuclear energy, research commercialisation,
innovation, biotechnology, nanotechnology and maritime engineering.
    
    "The collaboration with the UK has long prevailed, for example, there are
currently 13,000 Malaysian students studying there, and the establishment of the
Nottingham University in Malaysia and research projects involving the Royal
Society in Sabah.
    
    "However, we want to see greater collaboration between the two countries
covering several topics, including getting expert help from the UK to increase
scientific understanding among the people here," he told reporters after
receiving Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government Sir John Beddington at
Putra Perdana building here on Friday.
    
    The visit follows the meeting between Prime Minister Najib Razak and his
British counterpart, David Cameron, last July, where cooperation in science,
engineering and environment between the two countries was discussed.
    
    Zakri said the projects would be managed by the Malaysian Industry-
Government Group for High Technology as the secretariat for the collaborations
which he hoped would begin in the near future.
    -- BERNAMA