FORMER DAP stalwart Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy expects Prime Minister (PM) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to clear murky waters that exist in Putrajaya-New Delhi ties when the latter meets his counterpart Narendra Modi in what is deemed his first visit to India since taking office in November 2022.
The former Penang chief minister II further expects Modi to impress upon Anwar why India was offended by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who during his 22-month stint as Malaysia’s seventh PM had sought to embarrass India by criticising the incorporation of Jammu and Kashmir and India’s introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act
“Anwar is fully aware that it was the folly of Mahathir to have raised sensitive issues against India,” Ramasamy who is now the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council chairman told FocusM.
“Naturally, India retaliated by decreasing the purchase of palm oil and not exporting agricultural products that meet its needs from Malaysia.”
Bendera Malaysia, gegantung dan sepanduk menghiasi jalan-jalan utama New Delhi di India sebagai mengalu-alukan ketibaan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ke India yang dijangka tiba malam ini. pic.twitter.com/dBX1Wrt547
— ReeN 🇵🇸 (@ReeNGaston) August 19, 2024
Added the former three-term Perai state assemblyman: “It goes without saying that Dr Mahathir damaged the relationship between Malaysia and India.
“India was no pushover; when it retaliated in the form of trade restrictions, it was the Malaysian economy which suffered. Knowing Anwar, he might not want to raise these two matters which will not augur well for the future bilateral relationship between both countries.”
Recall that Dr Mahathir had in September 2019 raised the Kashmir issue while speaking at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, a move that drew strong reaction from India.
This promoted India’s External Affairs Ministry (MEA) to “completely rejects the references made in respect of Jammu and Kashmir which is an integral and inalienable part of India”.
“We once again call upon the Malaysian leadership to develop better understanding of the facts, including that Pakistan which remains an epicentre of global terrorism, continues to recruit, train, arm and finance cross-border terrorism against India,” the MEA asserted at the time.
In a more teasing tone, Ramasamy reminded Anwar that his meeting with Modi will present an opportunity for the latter to brief him on what is happening in Bangladesh, especially the attacks against ethnic and religious minorities in the country after former PM Sheikh Hasina fled Dhaka following the outbreak of deadly student uprising.
Meanwhile, foreign affairs, strategy and security analyst Collins Chong Yew Keat also hailed Anwar’s three-day official visit to India as “long overdue and timely” as well as “a chance to reset Malaysia’s relations with India following a hangover from a spat with New Delhi previously”.
“There has not been a visit by a PM to India for the last six years, hence this is a critical and strategic time for Malaysia to reset and enhance our vital ties with New Delhi,” opined the Universiti Malaya-based Chong who sees India as “Malaysia’s critical power ally”.
“Both Putrajaya and Delhi remain strategically interlinked in security assurances and positive returns. India fits the spectrum of this new sphere of defence partnerships pillared on the moral high ground of values, democracy and rule of law.”
For the record, Bernama reported that Anwar has touched down at the Palam Air Force Base airport at 9.47pm local time yesterday (12.17am Malaysian time today).
Anwar who is also the Finance Minister is accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, according to a Wisma Putra media statement.
In 2023, Malaysia and India’s total trade reached RM76.62 bil with Malaysia enjoying a surplus of RM15.89 bil.
India was Malaysia’s largest importer of palm oil and palm oil-based products, importing RM11.31 bil. Malaysia’s major imports from India included petroleum products (RM6.62 bil) and agricultural products, including halal meat (RM5.79 bil).
In 2023, Malaysia was India’s third-largest trading partner among ASEAN member states and the largest trading partner among the eight South Asian nations. – Aug 20, 2024
Main image credit: Bernama
