Malaysia-UK discussed issues arising from COVID-19 crisis - Hishammuddin

Hishammuddin said the talk conducted via telephone with Raab who is also UK Foreign Secretary also touched on regional interests including ASEAN and the Commonwealth.

"Just took a call from the Foreign Secretary who is also UK acting Prime Minister, Dominic Raab.

"On behalf of the Education Minister, Dr Radzi Jidin, I informed the British minister on the postponement of Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) which is recognised as United Kingdom Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) to the first quarter of next year," he said in his Facebook site, Hishammuddin Hussein tonight.

He also said following the spread of COVID-19, schools in Malaysia maybe closed longer and hoped the change in date for STPM would not jeopardise the opportunity of Malaysian students applying for places in higher education institutions there in 2021.

Apart from that, Hishammuddin said Raab also assured him, the 15,000 Malaysian students are well taken care of in UK.

"In this regard, as UK is one of the countries which began clinical test on a large scale for COVID-19 treatment, we share the view that it is important for Malaysia and UK to work together so as to ensure the people of both countries have access to the best possible treatment plans for those infected, he said.

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin also stressed on the need for UK to engage ASEAN as a bloc to strengthen the role of the country in this region.

In the same development, the discussion also agreed that all Commonwealth countries should be proactive in combating COVID-19 in the interest of the 2.3 billion people in the grouping.