KUALA LUMPUR: Duchess Kate Middleton delivered her first public speech on foreign soil in Malaysia, where she said that through effective healthcare, “lives can be transformed.” Her comments came as she and husband Prince William continued their Asian tour as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II. The couple had been in Singapore and arrived in Malaysia this week. Middleton briefly addressed staff and patients of the Kuala Lumpur hospice. “Providing children and their families with a place of support, care and enhancement at a time of great need is simply life-changing,” she said after Malaysian officials launched a new paediatric palliative care programme. “With effective palliative care, lives can be transformed.” Her speech at Hospis Malaysia had been among the tour's more anticipated events as the British public and fans worldwide sought clues on what sort of image she would project. Throngs of onlookers attempted to get glimpses of the couple who are on a Southeast Asia tour as part of Queen Elizabeth II's ongoing Diamond Jubilee festivities. “I am so excited to see Kate and hear what she has to say," one Malaysian woman told Bikyamasr.com. Others also pried for a chance to see the couple as they begin their tour of Malaysia.
