Malaysia celebrated its 67th anniversary of independence from the erstwhile British colonial power at New York’s historic Bowling Green Park on August 30, amid national fervor with a flag-hoisting ceremony before a motley crowd of Malaysians, businesspeople, international consular corps and New York City officials. But the event also provided some with opportunity to privately talk about the opportunities unfolding in Malaysia for U.S. businesses. 

Read also: New York State Senator Presents Proclamation on Malaysia’s 66th National Day 

The presence of the first runner up in the Miss Malaysia Universe contest of 2002, Christina Chelliah, added glamour to the event, with some attendees thronging for a photo opportunity with her.  Sporting her tiara, Chelliah told Global Trade Magazine  that she has been an attorney by profession and worked in New York. “I like to project my country’s rich culture besides highlighting its potential as a modern and thriving economy that can be a strong partner for the United States,” she said. 

Chelliah, appointed Malaysia’s international tourism ambassador, competed in the Miss Global 2014 contest, being Malaysia’s first ever Miss Global contestant, competing against 100 other contestants. But the Miss Global organization also noticed her entrepreneurial skills and awarded her the title of Miss Enterprise. 

Chelliah said she always wanted to pursue a solid education, and studied law.   She had already worked in Malaysia as a corporate lawyer.  

Subsequently, she sat for the bar examination in the U.S., successfully passing it and being admitted to the New York State Bar in December 2019. 

Today, she practices litigation in mergers and acquisitions. Additionally, she teaches part-time at an online law school.

Chelliah, who worked as a Malaysian consultant attorney for various international law firms in New York City, was sworn in as a Special Master of the Supreme Court of New York in March 2022 and was also admitted to the Law Society of England and Wales in June 2022.

But her passion for modeling and acting remained undiminished.  Her ethnic looks make her a sought-after international model, having been featured in ads in New York, London and Malaysia for brands such as Levi’s Jeans, IT Cosmetics, AVON, Wella, Nokia and GNC Live Well to name a few.  Indeed, she has appeared in television shows such as “Law and Order SVU,” “Person of Interest,” and “The Following,” besides commercials for JC Penney, Condé Nast, the New Jersey Lottery, etc.

Some of the diplomats attending Malaysia’s flag-hoisting ceremony at the Bowling Green venue also seen talking to her.  Diplomats from Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, etc. were among the guests; Dilip Chauhan, the deputy commissioner for international affairs in the New York City mayor’s office, felicitated Malaysia in the absence of Mayor Eric Adams who could not personally attend the event.

The newly-arrived Turkish consul general in New York, Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, got a rousing reception by a section of the crowd when it was announced that Malaysia’s flag-hoisting ceremony was his “first important engagement” since he assumed office on August 20, 2024. “This demonstrates the importance Ankara attaches to its external ties with Malaysia and others in the region,” one of the guests remarked. 

Fahmad Rifqi Ramulo, Indonesia’s consul for economic affairs, highlighted the region’s trade and economic potential.  “We are keen to promote our trade and economic ties with the entire world, and particularly the United States.  Both Indonesia and Malaysia are members of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) community,” he said in a conversation. The ASEAN region has been aggressively promoting its economic ties with the U.S., highlighting the business opportunities at various venues, including at international trade shows in New York and other states.  Representatives of Malaysia’s investment and trade promotion agencies were also present at the event, as also Malaysia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Ahmad Faisal Muhamad.

Amir Farid Abu Hasan, Malaysia’s New York-based consul general, who recently assumed the rotational presidency of the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York for a year, and has become a key figure in the consular corps’ diplomatic activities in New York and the other neighboring states, welcomed the guests and highlighted the significance of Malaysia’s independence day; he handed over citation awards to Malaysian community representatives for their services to Malaysia and helping promote Malaysia’s interests in various fields. 

In an interview with Global Trade Magazine, Amir highlighted the developmental progress Malaysia has made since independence.  “We are pursuing the Madani spirit … Madani, for Malaysians, has the same significance as the pursuit of progress and development through rooting out practices that could obstruct such progress,” he explained.  Amir has also, together with his counterparts from other countries, represented the interests of the Society of Foreign Consuls and their countries collectively vis-a-vis the New York Administration.  

The SFC in New York represents the world’s largest consular corps, compromising consulates, consulates general and honorary consulates based in New York; it works with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions and the NYC Mayor’s office for the United Nations, the consular corps and protocol, arranging forums and seminars on topical subjects of interest to the international diplomatic community and also New York City. 

A U.S. based businessman, who insisted on remaining anonymous and had quietly watched the flag-hoisting ceremony, told this writer on the sideline of the event that his company had been consulting an Asian business associate to explore the possibility of setting up an operation in Malaysia’s Kulim Industrial Park where a number of foreign companies enjoy tax benefits and other incentives.  “I cannot say anything beyond that … many U.S. companies are gradually diversifying their operations and looking at alternative sites in Asia,“ he said, emphasizing that the availability of raw materials, shipping connectivity, supply chain networking, etc., were important factors for selecting an alternative site. 

Manik Mehta is a New York based journalist specializing in foreign affairs/diplomacy, United Nations, global economics, trade, supply chains, etc.