CYBERJAYA, Feb 11 — Malaysia has always been a significant contributor to the Commonwealth, said its Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland.

Citing the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1989, she said the declaration was probably the most important made at that time.

“...the contribution that took place in 1989 in Langkawi was the beginning of the Commonwealth’s mission on climate change. We now see the consequences of climate change all over the world.

“Whether it is drought, flood, cyclone or hurricane, there is now a crisis. And Malaysia has been with us (Commonwealth) all the way through since 1957 and it is a valued member of our family,” she said at a press conference after launching the King Henry VIII (KH 8) College’s Commonwealth Scholarship Awards, here, today.

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Baroness Scotland was asked about her views on Malaysia’s contribution to the Commonwealth.

She is on a seven-day working visit to Malaysia beginning Sunday until Feb 15 on the invitation of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP).

She is the sixth Secretary-General of the Commonwealth and the first woman to hold the post.

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The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of  54 countries, both advanced and developing including Malaysia and it is home to about 2.4 billion people..

Baroness Scotland also said that her meeting with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and a few federal ministers had garnered positive feedback.

“They have expressed their commitment to the Commonwealth and I’ve been humbled by their commitment. I’m going to work very hard to make sure the Commonwealth goals are well delivered, and I thank the Malaysian government and its people for the generous support to our family,” she added.

Meanwhile, she also applauded the KH 8 College’s move in offering ten scholarships to Commonwealth students, saying that it opened room for the students to enhance their skills and to training to be future leaders.

Each scholarship is worth more than RM300,000 and the application for the scholarships opens in June for the September 2020 intake. — Bernama