As our first event in 2023, in collaboration with the Forrest Research Foundation, we had the pleasure to host Dato' Sri Saifuddin Abdullah, until recently the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia talking to us about the evolution of politics in Malaysia in an address titled "New Politics 2.0: Multiracial and Moderate Malaysian Democracy". In the discussion after his address he  also shared his reflections on his time as the Foreign Minister of this key regional country. 

As a founding member, Malaysia continues to play a key leadership role in ASEAN and the country is very actively engaged in broader regional and global issues. Malaysia and Australia share a relationship that is anchored in history but is also dynamic, contemporary and broad-based, including: exceptional people to people links; the second most important economic relationship for Australia in Southeast Asia; and a long-standing defence partner, both during conflicts and peacetime through the Five Power Defence Arrangement and the Malaysia Australia Joint Defence Program . In January 2021, the prime ministers of the two countries elevated the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)​.