Weaving stronger ties for NZ, Malaysia and Asean

The ties that bind New Zealand, Malaysia and Asean are strong and grew even stronger this year.

From Mike Walsh

There is a Maori saying that has guided me throughout my first year as New Zealand’s high commissioner to Malaysia and Brunei: “Whiria te tangata – weave the people together.”

It is a reminder that diplomacy, just like weaving, is built strand by strand: the people who connect us, the relationships we nurture, the history we honour and the future we shape together.

Woven with trust and shared purpose, these strands form something far stronger than any one of us could create alone.

As I settled into life in Kuala Lumpur – embracing the heat, the food and the warmth of its people – I saw that weaving come to life in every interaction: in meetings and alumni gatherings, across cultural performances and sporting events, and in the simple “apa khabar” and “kia ora” with everyday Malaysians.

The ties that bind New Zealand, Malaysia and Asean are strong, and this year, those ties grew even stronger as new strands were woven into the fabric of our relationship.

New Zealand and Asean

This was on display in late October, during prime minister Christopher Luxon’s visit to Malaysia.

Aside from attending the East Asia Summit, our prime minister also took part in the New Zealand-Asean Leaders Commemorative Summit, where he joined with Asean leaders in formally agreeing to elevate the two-way relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP).

That may sound technical, but its meaning is straightforward: after 50 years of trust and cooperation, we’re ready to do more together in the decades ahead.

Asean is New Zealand’s fourth-largest trading partner, with nearly RM75 billion in two-way trade.

Beyond trade, the new CSP gives us the mandate to invest even more in a wide range of areas, from climate resilience and energy transition to digital innovation and the future of the green and blue economies.

While in Kuala Lumpur, Luxon also hosted a gala lunch for Asean leaders to celebrate 50 years of New Zealand-Asean ties as well as the establishment of the CSP.

The centrepiece was a Maori cultural performance by national champions, Te Kapa Haka o Ngati Whakaue, who brought the wairua or spirit of New Zealand to the heart of the Malaysian capital.

New Zealand and Malaysia

Luxon’s official visit to Malaysia at the end of October was also an opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss a range of bilateral issues.

During their meeting, the two prime ministers celebrated the conclusion of a halal arrangement to boost exports of high-quality New Zealand halal meat to Malaysia.

Separately, Luxon announced two significant commercial deals involving Malaysian companies: YTL’s acquisition of the Indigo Hotel in Auckland and Yinson’s investment in a pipeline of renewable energy projects.

Luxon also enjoyed discussing investment and commercial opportunities with the Kuala Lumpur Business Club.

Like our relationship with Asean, New Zealand’s bilateral relationship with Malaysia extends well beyond trade and business. People-to-people links are the engine room of our relationship.

Earlier this year, New Zealand increased the number of Manaaki tertiary scholarships offered to Malaysians from two to 39 per year for the next three years.

These scholarships build on the proud legacy of thousands of Malaysian scholarship recipients who have studied in New Zealand since the Colombo Plan’s inception in 1951.

Many of these students filled important roles on their return to Malaysia.

New Zealand also continues to welcome 1,150 young Malaysians annually under the working holiday scheme, which is quickly filled by travellers eager to experience our natural environment while supporting their stay through part-time work.

Sport is another growing area of connection with plans in the pipeline to collaborate more closely with Malaysia to increase engagement between athletes, teams, sports administrators and officials.

Indigenous connections between New Zealand and Malaysia extend back to when the ancestors of Maori embarked on voyages across the Pacific from these shores.

Today, we are working to revitalise these links through support for indigenous cultural, business and development exchanges.

Another foundation of our partnership is defence and security cooperation. Our armed forces have stood alongside each other for decades and continue today through the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

Earlier in the year, I was honoured to host an Anzac Day commemoration and to also attend commemorations in both Bario and Sandakan, where the stories of hardship, sacrifice and resilience serve as a powerful reminder of the shared history that anchors our friendship.

A personal note

As I look back on my first year in Malaysia, I am struck by how quickly Malaysia feels like home for my wife Tricia and I, and how naturally our two nations connect.

It has been an exceptionally busy but rewarding year – with official visits from our ministers of foreign affairs, trade, defence, and, of course, Luxon; alongside major engagements across business, education and culture.

A personal highlight was seeing Rob Ruha and his band performing at the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak. Other highlights include visiting the Skyline Luge, watching the races at the Selangor Turf Club, golfing with Malaysian friends, meeting students from Kampung New Zealand, reconnecting with alumni, and working alongside the dedicated officers across Malaysia’s ministries, agencies, and the wider diplomatic community.

This posting to Malaysia carries deep personal meaning for me.

Our first high commissioner to Malaysia, Charles Bennett, was a distinguished Maori leader who forged an enduring friendship with Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.

As a Maori diplomat, standing where he once stood is both an honour and a reminder of the legacy we continue to carry forward.

It is an honour to serve as New Zealand’s high commissioner to Malaysia, and to play a part in weaving the strands of partnership that continues to grow.

With the 70th anniversary of our bilateral relationship on the horizon in 2027, the path ahead is rich with opportunity. I look forward with excitement to working with my team at the High Commission and our many friends here in Malaysia to realise this potential. - FMT

Mike Walsh is New Zealand high commissioner to Malaysia.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.