British Malaysia Society Dialogue

Dialogue ..My next week in London started with
The British Malaysia Society
Dialogue
A round the table meeting of those with interests in Malaysia and Britain..
some of these ties started many years ago in Malaya, and continue
still to forge links and provide business income, education and
family relationships which are very much encouraged at many levels

On the next day.. we had the second Global Emerging Markets Summit..GEMS..
at both events, as before, I was invited as the Chairman's guest..
Datuk Dr Michael Yeoh, Chairman Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute
and I, have been interested in international relations for many years..
and so I expect have much in common.
This year I also met President of ASLI Mirzan Mahathir.. ..above...a name very well known to me from the
time during which I was Goverment Bilateral Aid Advisor to New Zealand and Malaysia
and Dr Mahathir, Prime Minister for many years, invited me to be his guest, on a number of occasions,
particularly on the island of Labuan..It was with great pleasure that I talked with Mirzan
and gave him a copy of my book of the island, Labuan

Reception Victoria with Ambassador Thamrin

After the Cultural show of music and dance
The Director-General and the Ambassador held a Reception in the Conservatory
......a beautiful building in white painted wrought iron and glass ..........
provided a wonderful traditional English location for meeting the Indonesian
visitors who had come for this very special week in London

Ambassador Thamrin and I, discussed, as we usually do, how we can
encourage people from the United Kingdom ..and all of the world..to
see Indonesia as we do.. .......a vibrant, beautiful collection of islands.........
not just a tourist paradise .. but a home for many working people who
grow fruits, vegetables..cocoa .. many things in this lush, fertile land ...
palm trees for their oil.. and many other less well known commodities, many of
which are exported around the world
through a wide network of local and international companies
who have over a long period cultivated their produce............................................
Now......... Indonesia needs to develop more these, and many activities to continue its
education programmes, its water, communication systems, without degrading the
ecology of the many islands
It has a firm reforestation programme..which, although little known outside the
Country, seeks to replace forests which have become depleted
and to provide new areas, conserved..not as a 'theme' park..even though it would be
a very large one..but as a thriving dynamic land, which provides for its people, and those
others who import its produce in countries, which are very much less abundantly supplied

Horniman Museum Director with Ambassador and Director-General

When the dance finished, Sapta Nirwandar Director-General, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Indonesia
our host, who had flown from Jakarta to be here in the ~United Kingdom
and H E Yuri O Thamrin, The Ambassador for the Republic of Indonesia, made a presentation
to the Director of The Horniman Museum .. and gave thanks to him for allowing this splendid
Museum to be our venue for the Exhibition and Concert with Dance
..........................................................................................................................
left to right Ambassador.. Director.. Director ~General

Indonesia dance Horniman Museum

The afternoon was made very much brighter
by the colourful costume and the brilliant dance of
the troup flown from Jakarta to perform at this
and the later event at the
where a banquet at
Central Hall
Westminster
for a dance, music and fashion show by an Indonesian designer
awaited the guests
I was pleased however to see this first
show.......................
as it was a much more intimate display,
where the dancers performed on the floor of the
Hall enabling us to see their costume in its
entirety..
displaying the magnificent embroidery ..and fabrics
later, this was on a large stage, in the City, and we did not have the opportunity, as shown here, to be close to the dancers
and musicians as they performed for an invited audience, comprising also many young people from the
district who were totally captured by the splendour of it all

Indonesia Dance

At the Horniman Museum
The Indonesia event at the Horniman Museum featured
dances from many parts of the countries islands

Indonesia Traditions

Part of the day included a series of dances and plays acted to music
this is the figure which
shows how the other players can be
scared away.........
the fantastic costume
and the masked face
are not however very
frightening as one sees the
other dancer holding the decorated parasol
which forms part of the acting in the play

Exhibition Arranger

The #exhibtits which came from all parts of Indonesia
showed kewels and crafts in many
forms
this exhibit had one piece which i found to be most attractive beauce of the working of the gold medallion
intricately carved on plain black stones which formed the chain

Horniman Museum Indonesia Day

Part of the collection of jewels on show
at the Museum
I particularly liked a collection of small black stones wound together
with a large decorated gold medallion
very finely engraved

Victoria with the Jewels of Indonesia

with some of my favourite pieces
from this Indonesia Collection
superb craftsmanship..and exquisite natural stones
and corals make this delightful display

Indonesia Day at the Horniman Museum

I was invited to this Indonesia event at The Horniman Museum in London...
the first things
which I saw were the brilliant jewels in the Collection brought
over especially for this week
..............Ropes of pearl and corals.......................
casually tied together caught my attention
My studies in Birmingham were alongside jewellery designers
who learned their crafts
in the internationally known training ground for the
Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham
I know that,
like myself , they would like the designs and gems in this Collection