MEDIA STATEMENT BY PROF DR P.RAMASAMY,
CHAIRMAN, URIMAI PARTY
“Hopefully PM Anwar’s visit to India can undo the damage done by Mahathir”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is on a visit to India with a high powerful delegation to India starting Monday August 19, 2024. He will return to Malaysia on August 21, 2024, after a three day visit. Anwar’s official visit was a result of invitation by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.
Although Anwar had visited India before, this will be his first official visit after he became the prime minister in 2022.
There will be multi-sectoral engagement between the Malaysia and India. A number of agreements covering multiple sectors will be signed in the course of Anwar’s visit.
After the usual protocol, Anwar will have a closed door meeting with Modi.
I think Modi will impress upon Anwar why India was offended by the former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed who sought to embrass India by criticising the incorporation of Jammu and Kashmir and the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Knowing Anwar, he might not want to raise these two matters as it will not augur well for the future bilateral relationship between the two countries.
After Modi’s visit to Malaysia in 2015, bilateral relationship was elevated to the status of Enhanced Strategy Relationship.
Bilateral trade relationship is one area that the both the countries will benefit immensely. There are Malaysian companies investing in strategic areas in India and similarly Indian companies investing in strategic hi tech areas in Malaysia.
There is a possibility India might be setting up colleges and universities in Malaysia especially those focusing on skills development. India is regional or super power that can benefit Malaysia in the fields of science and technology.
Anwar is fully aware that it was the folly of Mahathir to have raised sensitive issues against India. Naturally, India retaliated by decreasing the purchase of palm oil and not exporting agricultural products that were needed in Malaysia.
Maybe Anwar’s 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 the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country with the outbreak of student uprising.
It goes without saying that Malaysia’s enhanced relationship with India will not only raise the status of its membership in ASEAN.
Malaysia is also very keen to be admitted in the group of countries called BRICS. Malaysia is not a middle-power but with the backing of India, it might be allowed to be a member of this group of countries.
Regional groupings are not just to enhance the image of member states. If they are well managed they can form formidable barriers to moderate the hegemony of the super powers.
It goes without saying that Mahathir damaged the relationship between Malaysia and India. India was no pushover, when it retaliated in the form of trade restrictions, it was the people of Malaysia who suffered.
Hopefully, Anwar doesn’t make the same mistakes as Mahathir, his former mentor. There is nothing to loose but much to gain by prioritising relationship with India.
