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Tag: Malaysia

  • Rahul to Visit Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam

    Rahul to Visit Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam

    Gandhi will be visiting Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam…reports Asian Lite News

    Congress MP from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi is likely to travel to four countries starting from December 9.

    According to sources, Gandhi will be visiting Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

    According to the sources, Rahul Gandhi will meet the Indian diaspora in Singapore and Malaysia while in Indonesia he will be meeting the diplomats.

    “The Congress leader is likely to meet the Vietnam Communist Party leaders,” the sources added.

    Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been summoned by MP/MLA court on December 16 in connection with a 2018 case over using derogatory remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a Bengaluru conference.

    The complaint was filed by the then BJP District Vice President, Vijay Mishra.

    Santosh Kumar Pandey, lawyer appeared for Vijay Mishra said that Congress MP Rahul Gandhi can be given a maximum punishment of 2 years if sufficient evidence is found against him.

    “Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a press conference in Bengaluru. About 5 years ago, Amit Shah who is currently the Home Minister, objectionable remarks were made against him. On August 4, 2018, this case was filed in the District and Sessions Court of MP-MLA Court Sultanpur. On which on Monday, Judge Yogesh Kumar Yadav of MP MLA Court Sultanpur has summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on December 16. This statement came from Rahul Gandhi during the Karnataka elections in Bengaluru in 2018,” Santosh Kumar Pandey told ANI.

    Meanwhile, after leading a high-octane campaign in five states of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has reached Kerala’s Wayanad, his Parliamentary constituency, on a four-day trip.

    Party leaders said that Gandhi, who arrived in Wayanad on Tuesday night, will stay there till December 1 and participate in several programmes.

    On Tuesday — the last day of campaigning in Telangana — Rahul Gandhi interacted with gig workers, sanitary workers and auto drivers and heard their problems.

    He also held a joint road show with his sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra besides addressing a joint public meeting.

    The leader will be returning home on December 1 night, three days prior to the Parliament’s Winter Session on December 4.

    In the past 45 days, he has addressed several public meetings in the five states which went to the polls recently. (ANI/IANS)

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  • Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Indian citizens from Dec 1

    Malaysia to allow visa-free entry to Indian citizens from Dec 1

    China and India are Malaysia’s fourth and fifth-largest source markets respectively…reports Asian Lite News

    Malaysia will grant visa-free entry to citizens of China and India for stays of up to 30 days starting on Dec. 1, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

    Anwar made the announcement late on Sunday during a speech at his People’s Justice Party congress and did not say for how long the visa exemption would be applicable.

    China and India are Malaysia’s fourth and fifth-largest source markets respectively. According to government data, Malaysia recorded 9.16 million tourist arrivals between January and June this year, with 498,540 from China and 283,885 from India. That compared to 1.5 million arrivals from China and 354,486 from India in the same period of 2019, prior to the pandemic.

    The move follows similar measures implemented by neighbouring Thailand to boost its vital tourism sector and stimulate its sluggish economy, with Chinese and Indian nationals among those exempted this year. Currently, Chinese and Indian nationals must apply for visas to enter Malaysia.

    ALSO READ-‘India-Malaysia bilateral trade set to soar to $25bn in next 3 years’

  • ‘India-Malaysia bilateral trade set to soar to $25bn in next 3 years’

    ‘India-Malaysia bilateral trade set to soar to $25bn in next 3 years’

    With Malaysia hosting the second-largest Indian-origin community, the Indian envoy noted the diverse linguistic and cultural ties that provide a natural bridge for deeper engagement…reports Asian Lite News

    Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia, BN Reddy, announced ambitious plans for India-Malaysia bilateral trade, aiming to reach USD 25 billion in the next three years. Currently standing at USD 20 billion, the trade relationship is poised for growth, with a focus on economic sustainability.

    In an interaction with ANI, the Indian envoy emphasised the significance of economic ties, saying, “In any relationship, the real sustenance comes from economic and trade relations.” He highlighted India’s import of various commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.

    “The bilateral trade between India and Malaysia, currently at 20 billion dollars, will increase to 25 billion dollars in the next three years,” Reddy said, adding, “But we do import quite a lot of commodities from Malaysia, including palm oil, crude oil, and LNG.”

    Reflecting on the 65 years of diplomatic relations, Reddy mentioned the ongoing efforts to realise the enhanced strategic partnership established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to Malaysia. He stressed the comprehensive nature of the relationship, covering the entire spectrum.

    “We are in the process of now realising the enhanced strategic partnership that was established during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015, where it was decided that our engagement with Malaysia would be taken to newer heights, wherein covering the entire spectrum of the relationship,” Reddy added.

    With Malaysia hosting the second-largest Indian-origin community, the Indian envoy noted the diverse linguistic and cultural ties that provide a natural bridge for deeper engagement.

    “Put it in a nutshell, Malaysia has the second largest population of Indian-origin community. I would say there is a mini-India here even though Tamil speakers are the largest, but you also have the Malayalam, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati, and Odiya speaking populations, which provides a natural bridge for us to engage with Malaysia more deeply,” he also said.

    Recent high-level meetings, including the Joint Commission meeting and Defence Secretary-level talks, have facilitated a comprehensive review of the relationship.

    “We had the joint commission meeting held in Delhi earlier this month led by External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, with the Malaysian Foreign Minister in Delhi. Prior to that, we had the Defence secretary-level talks in Delhi to review the entire defence corporation and we had the visit of Raksha Mantri. Ever since the new Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim took office in November last year we’ve already had eight ministers and deputy ministers from Malaysia visit India. And we had two of our ministers come here. Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh coming into Malaysia end of this week,” he further said.

    Reddy highlighted key areas for potential collaboration, such as renewable energy and the semiconductor sector. Malaysian company Petron has already invested billions of dollars in the renewable energy sector in India. Plans for a Malaysia-India Digital Council and an Annual Energy Dialogue further underscore the commitment to expanding collaboration.

    “In the last six months, Malaysian company Petron has announced close to four and a half billion US dollars in the renewable energy sector in India,” Reddy said, adding, “We’re going to start another thing called Annual Energy Dialogue. Given the significant emphasis of both countries and having already close to USD 4 billion bilateral trade in fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, we want to expand it to renewable energy.”

    The Indian High Commissioner expressed optimism about the growing relationship, emphasising political understanding between the two governments. He concluded, “Our effort is to truly realise this potential, ensuring a balanced relationship that benefits both countries.” (ANI)

    ALSO READ-Malaysia Seizes PKR 5 Billion Drugs in Pakistani Goods

  • Malaysia Seizes PKR 5 Billion Drugs in Pakistani Goods

    Malaysia Seizes PKR 5 Billion Drugs in Pakistani Goods

    Malaysia’s Customs and Narcotics Crime Investigation Department conducted a raid and arrested five local suspects….reports Asian Lite News

    Busting a mega smuggling scandal, Malaysian authorities seized drugs worth PKR 5 billion in Malaysia from Pakistani goods and arrested five local suspects, ARY News reported.

    According to details, a huge cache of drugs was seized from a Pakistani container carrying onions in Malaysia.

    The Malaysian authorities said that over 100 kg of cocaine and 411 kg of methenamine drugs, which were worth more than five billion Pakistani rupees, were confiscated.

    Malaysia’s Customs and Narcotics Crime Investigation Department conducted a raid and arrested five local suspects.

    Meanwhile, on the other hand, the Malaysian authorities informed FBR and TDAP in Pakistan via an emergency letter. Pakistan Customs registered an FIR soon after the letter was received and arrested two Pakistani nationals, including the clearing agent, Amir Ali Khan.

    Earlier, the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), in a raid in Gwadar, seized large consignments of drugs hidden at different spots, according to ARY News.

    A key member of a drug smuggling gang had buried narcotics at various places in the area. A spokesperson for the ANF has stated that a total of 1,788 kilogrammes of drugs have been seized, including 1,740 kilogrammes of hashish, 28 kilogrammes of ice and 20 kilogrammes of morphine.

    “Seized drugs were made in Afghanistan,” the ANF stated.

    “A part of the seized drugs was found beneath a hut made of twigs and leaves of trees. Other drugs were recovered from the tunnels excavated in hills,” according to the ANF’s statement.

    “The places being used for storing drugs were set on fire after seizing the narcotics consignment,” ARY News reported the anti-drug body as saying. (ANI)

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  • India, Malaysia hold talks ahead of Joint Commission Meeting

    India, Malaysia hold talks ahead of Joint Commission Meeting

    The official itinerary for the visit includes a sit-down with Vice President Dhankhar on Tuesday, followed by a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House…reports Asian Lite News

    Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir has already arrived in India on the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

    The Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) was held between India and Malaysia in the national capital on Monday ahead of the Joint Commission Meeting today.The SOM was chaired by the Ministry of External Affairs, Secretary (East) Saurabh Kumar and Deputy Secy General Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani of Malaysia. The two sides held a preparatory meeting ahead of the 6th India-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting on Tuesday.”India-Malaysia Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held in New Delhi today.

    Co-chaired by Secy (East) @AmbSaurabhKumar and Deputy Secy General Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani of @MalaysiaMFA. Both sides held a preparatory meeting ahead of the 6th India-Malaysia Joint Commission Meeting scheduled to take place tomorrow at Ministerial level,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi posted on X (formerly Twitter).Notably, Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir has already arrived in India on the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.Kadir, who is in India till November 8, will strengthen the Enhanced Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

    The official itinerary for the visit includes a sit-down with Vice President Dhankhar on Tuesday, followed by a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Hyderabad House.The visit holds significant diplomatic importance, as it provides an opportunity to strengthen the existing ties between India and Malaysia and discuss various bilateral matters of mutual interest, the MEA stated. (ANI)

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  • Indian Navy’s 1TS Warships Reach Malaysia

    Indian Navy’s 1TS Warships Reach Malaysia

    INS Tir, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi are on a visit to Port Klang, Malaysia from September 30 to October 23….reports Asian Lite News

    As part of the Indian Navy’s long-range deployment in South East Asia, the ships of First Training Squadron (1TS) -INS Tir, INS Sujata, and ICGS Sarathi are on a visit to Port Klang, Malaysia from September 30 to October 23, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Monday.

    During the visit, the activities being undertaken by the crew of 1TS include various professional and community interactions, training exchanges, cross-deck visits and sports fixtures with personnel of the Royal Malaysian Navy, as well as ships, open for visit of school children, the ministry said.

    The deployment of 1 TS is aimed at exposing the trainees to the sociopolitical, military and maritime linkages of India with the friendly countries in the Indian Ocean Region and strengthening bilateral engagements between the two Navies, it added.

    Earlier, the ships of the First Training Squadron, comprising Indian Navy Ship (INS) Tir, INS Sujata, INS Sudarshini and ICGS Sarathi visited Phuket, Thailand from September 25 to 28 as part of a long-range training deployment.

    “Senior Officer of 1TS, Captain Sarvpreet Singh along with Commanding Officers of ships called on Rear Admiral Puchong Rodnikron Chief of Staff, Third Naval Area Command,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

    Moreover, to greet them, a reception was hosted onboard INS Tir for the Chief of Staff, Third Naval Area Command along with RTN officers and members of the Indian Diaspora.

    According to the statement, the ships were open for visitors. Children from different schools were also taken on a guided tour of the ships.

    “The trainees of 1TS visited the Naval Academy at Phang Nga Naval Base,” the statement added.

    Their visit witnessed personnel from both the Navies actively engaged in cross-training visits, professional interaction, sports fixtures and joint yoga sessions.

    “As part of the Maritime Training Partnership Exercise with Royal Thai Naval Ship Klaeng, cross-embarkation of trainees, manoeuvres, approaches for replenishments at sea were conducted,” the statement stated.

    Moreover, their visit reinforced maritime linkages and consolidated the strong friendship between the two Navies. (ANI)

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  • India, Malaysia Discuss Cyber security, Defence Ties

    India, Malaysia Discuss Cyber security, Defence Ties

    MoD said that Malaysia has expressed confidence in the capability of the Indian defence industry and discussed possibilities for co-design, co-production and co-development in the field of defence industry…reports Asian Lite News

    Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the 12th meeting of Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM) was held in New Delhi on Tuesday.

    MoD said that the two chairs articulated steps in the direction of emerging areas of cooperation like cyber security and issues pertaining to global commons.

    It said that they identified means to enhance existing areas of collaboration, especially in the field of defence industry, maritime security and multilateral cooperation.

    The Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane shared an 8-point proposal with the Malaysian side to expand cooperation between India and Malaysia on a wide range of areas such as Government to government-level engagement, Tri-Service cooperation, Training, UN Peacekeeping, Bilateral Services Engagement, Defence Industrial Cooperation, Research and Development and Regional/ Sub-Regional Engagements.

    The Defence Secretary highlighted the potential of the domestic defence industry with capacity and capability to cooperate with the Malaysian Armed Forces in its shipbuilding and maintenance plans.

    MoD said that Malaysia has expressed confidence in the capability of the Indian defence industry and discussed possibilities for co-design, co-production and co-development in the field of defence industry.

    “Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to implement fully the Enhanced Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values of democracy and rule of law,” MoD said.

    It said that as part of the visit, the Malaysian delegation also interacted with DRDO officials and identified areas of mutual interest. The delegation is scheduled to visit Mumbai on September 20 for interactions at Mazagaon Dockyard Limited and Headquarters, Western Naval Command.

    MoD said that the meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Deputy Secretary General (Policy), Malaysia Mohd Yani bin Daud.

    “During the meeting, both sides reviewed the outcomes of the two sub-committee meetings namely Sub Committee on Military Cooperation held on July 27, 2023 and Joint Sub Committee on Defence Science Technology and Industry Cooperation held on September 18,” MoD said.

    It said that both sides assessed the existing defence cooperation between the two countries and held wide-ranging discussions on issues of mutual interest including regional issues.

    It said that they explored effective and practical initiatives to further expand bilateral defence engagements and agreed to establish a Strategic Affairs working Group (SAWG) to formulate a consultative mechanism intermediate between the MIDCOM and the two Sub-committees to handle all aspects of the defence cooperation between the two countries.

    ALSO READ-Chinese Premier Li Meets Malaysian PM in Nanning

  • Chinese Premier Li Meets Malaysian PM in Nanning

    Chinese Premier Li Meets Malaysian PM in Nanning

    Li noted that China and Malaysia are good partners working toward common development, and good neighbors that help each others…reports Asian Lite News

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday met with Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Nanning, the capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

    Li noted that China and Malaysia are good partners working toward common development, and good neighbors that help each other. He said the two sides in March reached an important consensus on the joint construction of a China-Malaysia community with a shared future — a milestone in the history of bilateral relations.

    Li observed that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties. He said that under the guidance of the consensus, China will take the anniversary as an opportunity to work with Malaysia to pass on and deepen the friendship from generation to generation, enhance the level of political mutual trust, and make overall plans for the next stage of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields. Such cooperation will continuously bring tangible results and benefits to the two peoples, and make greater contributions to regional stability and prosperity.

    Li expressed China’s willingness to enhance the synergy of Malaysia’s development strategies and its own, and to continue working together to build a high-quality Belt and Road and implement the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. China is ready to work on flagship China-Malaysia cooperation projects such as the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” and the East Coast Rail Link, he said. It is willing to work with Malaysia to create new growth points for cooperation on new energy vehicles and the digital economy, promote the continuous expansion and upgrading of bilateral cooperation, and strengthen exchanges in education, scientific research, cultural tourism and local areas, he added.

    China stands ready to coordinate and cooperate more closely with Malaysia, work together to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, safeguard the ASEAN-centered regional cooperation framework, and advance the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 negotiations to facilitate regional economic integration, Li said.

    Anwar said that Malaysia has a high appreciation for China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, and is willing to further close exchanges with China at all levels and strengthen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, the digital economy and green development. He said Malaysia stands ready to enhance exchanges and mutual learning between the two civilizations, strengthen coordination and cooperation on international and regional affairs, and strengthen Malaysia-China relations.

    Malaysia supports China’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, he added.

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  • Malaysia Marks 66th Independence Day with Unity Theme

    Malaysia Marks 66th Independence Day with Unity Theme

    Thousands of Malaysians marked the occasion through the singing of patriotic songs and other activities…reports Asian Lite News

    Malaysia on Thursday celebrated its 66th Independence Day with parades, fireworks and large scale gatherings under the theme of unifying ties between the nation’s diverse groups.

    Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, thousands of Malaysians marked the occasion through the singing of patriotic songs and other activities, with the festivities culminating in a parade overseen by King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the administration centre of Putrajaya on Thursday morning, reports Xinhua news agency.

    The Malaysian monarch was joined by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, members of the cabinet and other officials, with thousands of military and civilian personnel participating in the parade besides dancers and other performers.

    In a message to the people, Sultan Abdullah reminded Malaysians that unity is key to harmony, wellbeing of the people and the Southeast Asian country.

    “In fact, this strong unity is also the main key to the stability and prosperity of the country, as well as the seed and source of strength for us to face any current and future challenges,” he said.

    “Therefore, it is a joint responsibility of the leaders and the people to not only preserve and strengthen the harmony and unity that has been achieved but also to fuel it among us,” he added.

    On August 31, 1957, the then Federation of Malaya gained independence from British rule.

    ALSO READ: Malaysian PM Fuels Energy Transition with $430M

  • Malaysian PM Fuels Energy Transition with $430M

    Malaysian PM Fuels Energy Transition with $430M

    Malaysian PM said the facility would enable catalytic blended finance to ensure a seamless flow of financial resources towards energy transition projects…reports Asian Lite News

    Malaysia will allocate 2 billion ringgit ($430 million ) as a seed fund National Energy Transition Facility to enable catalytic blended finance, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced on Tuesday.

    In his remarks at the second phase of the National Energy Transition Roadmap, Anwar said the facility would enable catalytic blended finance to ensure a seamless flow of financial resources towards energy transition projects that are marginally bankable or yielding below-market returns, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Considering Malaysia’s current state of immature decarbonization technologies, the country’s progress would significantly hinge on alternative energy sources and robust regional and international collaboration, he explained.

    “As the paramount challenge in energy transition is financing, it is estimated that an investment of at least 1.2 trillion ringgit between 2023 and 2050 is needed to enable responsible energy transition,” Anwar said.

    He added that 60 billion-90 billion ringgits are needed to be allocated for crucial projects, including the expansion of public transportation, strengthening grid infrastructure, and reskilling of human capital, in this decade alone.

    He also highlighted energy efficiency as one of the energy transition levers that offer effective long-term solutions to manage energy consumption, thus reducing carbon emissions.

    The Prime Minister added that the government will launch a major retrofit program to enhance energy efficiency in government buildings. 

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