PM Najib meets PM David Cameron in London today

The Sun (Malaysia) has an interesting story today:

Another step towards enhancing British-Malaysian ties

Cameron would be pleased to know that Malaysia had amply demonstrated this friendship as it had acceded to his request that loss-making British sportscar maker Lotus be allowed to continue its production in Norfolk county.

And following Cameron's meeting with Najib at Putrajaya, both leaders agreed to set a new target of doubling bilateral trade to £8 billion (RM39.11 billion by 2016 by forming a joint working group to look into this potential.

They also agreed to strengthen the partnership in education and skills training, including expanding Malaysians' access to British universities and supporting Malaysia's economic transformation with emphasis on vocational skills and research partnerships.

 Interesting story.

I hope that they discuss the educational stuff. It would be nice if Petronas could become involved. They have an educational budget and a Motorsport budget.

DRB-Hicom have a University and own Lotus. Mix that little lot together and you get an entity greater than the sum of its parts.

Here's hoping!

http://www.news.utm.my/2011/12/utm-vc-chaired-proton-technical-advisory-council-at-lotus-group-headquaters/lotus-meeting/

 

Proton Tech Advisory Counci (PTAC)l: From left Azman, Ono (Meiji), Tajul, Ricardo (Imperial College), Zaini, Syed Zainal (MD Proton/Lotus), Nick (Cambridge), Peter (Stanford), Hamdani and Zainal,

 These gents visited Lotus in December 2011. I know both Tajul and Syed Zainal.

I used to work beside Tajul... A very nice man, and have shared a stage with Syed Zainal.

Norwich, 9 December, 2011: UTM Vice Chancellor,  Zaini Ujang chaired the third PTAC meeting at Lotus Group headquarters  in Norwich, England on 8 and 9 December, 2011.
The intense sessions on technology strategy for Proton Group of Companies comprised representatives of Proton Holdings and Lotus Group.
Among those present include Dato Syed Zainal Abidin (Proton Group Managing Director), Prof. Nick Collings (Cambridge University), Prof. Ricardo Botas (Imperial College), Prof Osamu Ono (Meiji) and Peter Marco (SRI, Stanford).
Lotus Group was represented by Danny Bahar (Lotus CEO, former Ferrari Marketing head), Mark James (Lotus, Engineering head, formerly from Ferrari).
A tour to Lotus manufacturing plant was guided by Donato Coco (Design Director, formerly from Ferrari) and Michael Och (Lotus Operations head).
PTAC was established in 2009 and co-funded by Proton and UTM.

 I have spoken to UTM and University Petronas about my project.

Tajul and Syed Zainal are both aware of my proposal.

Dany Bahar and his team have been informed also.