Treadell: It’s a privilege to work with Dr M

We meet again: Treadell was a junior diplomat in Kuala Lumpur when Dr Mahathir served as the Prime Minister in the 1980s.

PUTRAJAYA: British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell is the first foreign head of mission to pay a courtesy call on Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and there is a special reason for it.

The Ipoh-born envoy was a junior diplomat in Kuala Lumpur in the 1980s when Dr Mahathir first served as Prime Minister back then. She met him again in Edinburgh when Britain hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1997.

“When I was here in Malaysia, I only ever saw him from a distance.

“I also saw Tun Mahathir and Margaret Thatcher interact over CHOGM in 1989 in Kuala Lumpur.

“They had respect for each other,” she said.

Treadell said she was the Malaysian delegation liaison officer when she served Dr Maha­thir and Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali in Edinburgh.

“My job was to make sure the delegation was happy, knew what was happening and got to where they needed. On that occasion, I saw Tun Mahathir every day over three days, accompanying his party,’’ said Treadell, who called on Dr Mahathir at the Perdana Leadership Foundation on Friday.

The envoy said it was “a privilege” for her to have met Dr Mahathir so early on in his te­­nure as the country’s seventh Prime Minister.

Their discussion covered education, politics, reforms, partnership and the Britain-Malaysia relationship.

“We spoke about a Malaysia for all Malay­sians regardless of race and religion. We reflected on the UK-Malaysia relationship which is truly longstanding and strong.

“I certainly look forward to working with Tun Mahathir and the new government to build our partnership for the future,’’ she added.

British Prime Minister Theresa May sent a letter of congratulations to Dr Mahathir on his appointment and on the historic result of the 14th General Election.