Najib: I'm PM for all Malaysians

ASSURANCE: We can know each other better through discussions, PM tells Christians

PETALING JAYA: PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has reassured Christians in Malaysia that the government  recognised the needs of their community, amid growing concerns that they were being sidelined.
"I do not want to be a prime minister for only a section of the community, but for all Malay-sians," he said.

"We have, in fact, achieved quite a lot for the Christian community through subtle engagement, away from the glare of publicity."

He said this, among others, could be seen from the government's decision to lift the travel restrictions to Jerusalem recently.

"I believe that God-fearing Christians with strong values are a good thing for Malaysia," he said at a Christmas high tea organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia on Tuesday.

It was hosted by the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and attended by about 1,000 representatives from churches in the Klang Valley.

Najib: Govt has done a lot to engage Christian community

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged Malaysian Christians to join in the journey of change and renewal for a better Malaysia.

Speaking at a Christmas reception organised by the Christian Federation of Malaysia, Najib said he understood that the community might have felt despondent at times, feeling that not enough was done by the Government to engage them.

“But I must in good conscience state that we have in fact achieved quite a lot through subtle engagement away from the glare of publicity and the latest decision to lift restrictions on Christians to carry out pilgrimage in Jerusalem is one of the results.

“This is the inclusivity that I am seeking because I believe there is a place for all of us under the Malaysian sun.

Najib chatting with his hosts (from left) Archbishop Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, Bishop Ng Moon Hing, Bishop Phillip Lok and National Evangelical Christian Fellowship chairman Rev Dr Eu Hong Seng at the Lutheran centre in Petaling Jaya.

 

"This country is large enough for all our aspirations and we must work together to make this a reality. 

Najib's Christmas Message

Many people across the world will be celebrating Christmas – and Malaysia is no exception. On Christmas Day, I will have the pleasure of taking part in a tea party with members of the Christian community to mark Christmas and listen to their views.

Malaysia is of course a majority Muslim country but Christians do play a full and welcome role in our society – especially in Sabah and Sarawak. Some people may not realise that around one in 10 Malaysians count themselves as Christian.

The roots of this can be found in our country’s rich and varied history. Nestorian Christianity was brought to the region by Persian and Turkish traders as far back as the 7th century. The Portuguese then brought Catholicism here in the 15th century, followed by the Dutch bringing Protestantism in the 17th century.

Najib gives assurance to Malaysian Christians

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has assured the country's Christians that he will remain open to hearing their concerns, hopes and ideas.

In his Christmas message, the Prime Minister acknowledged the country's Christian community for its role in Malaysian society especially in Sabah and Sarawak.

“We are very fortunate that Malaysia continues to enjoy peaceful relations between different faiths and races.

“This doesn't happen without our continued efforts to keep it that way, so I will always be open to hearing any hopes, concerns and ideas that members of the Christian community may have,” Najib said in his message that was posted on his blog.  (Read more of his Christmas message here.).

Wishing all Malaysian Christians a Merry Christmas, Najib said that he would be having the pleasure of joining members of the faith in a Christmas Day tea party today where he will listen to their views.

He said that although Malaysia was a Muslim-majority country, some people might not realise that around one in 10 Malaysians was a Christian.

Follow Mohd Najib Tun Razak in Twitter @NajibRazak

		Mohd Najib Tun Razak
		@NajibRazak
Had a very productive meeting with PM Manmohan Singh this morning. There is much scope for deeper Malaysia- India ties.
03:33 PM - 20 Dec 12

India offers great opportunity for Malaysian businesses: Najib Read more: India offers great opportunity for Malaysian businesses: Najib

NEW DELHI -- India with its population of 1.2 billion people offers a great opportunity for Malaysian businesses, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

This is more so with the conclusion of the agreement on services and investment between Asean and India, he said. 

 "We can see India as a country whose economic growth rate has been so rapid. They also expect their growth rate can be raised further with the creation of a middle class with high purchasing power.  

 "So they will definitely look to Malaysia for tourism, education and medical tourism. It is certainly a bigger market for us," Najib told Malaysian journalists at the end of the Asean-India Commemorative Summit 2012 here today. 

 India's economy is expected to grow by 7.3 per cent next year, higher than the 6.5 per cent forecast for 2012. 

 Indian companies can also be invited to invest in Malaysia in sectors where they have the capability, such as pharmaceuticals, bio-technology and manufacturing, he said.  

Najib’s India Policy a Success at Home and Abroad

The Asean-India commemorative summit has ended with a free trade agreement (FTA) on services that Malaysia helped coordinate. This follows the earlier FTA on goods in 2009, and will lead to a huge jump in regional trade at a time of continuing global uncertainty.

In several ways, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's India policy has been a success. Whether it is strengthening trade ties with India or encouraging the Indian community within Malaysia itself to participate further in the development of our nation, Najib has won plaudits for successfully engaging with both.

Malaysia has strong historic and cultural linkages with India, and under Najib this has been given an impetus since his positive meetings with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in 2010.

As a result, Malaysia-India trade that was expected to hit RM45 billion in 2015 has already reached that milestone in 2012, three years early. Both countries have now revised their 2015 target to RM60 billion, which is an impressive achievement given that India's economy is growing at its slowest pace in a decade.

At home, the Prime Minister's engagement with the Indian community could well play a deciding role in the upcoming general election.

There are 1.9 million Indians in Malaysia, comprising 7.3 per cent of the population. They are the third largest ethnic group, after the Malays and Chinese.

PM: More visa centres to be opened in India

NEW DELHI: More visa centres will be opened in India to increase the number of visitors to Malaysia, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

The Prime Minister said Malaysia wanted to make the issuance of visas in India easier, adding: “There are now five centres, and we hope to have more in the smaller cities.

“The smaller cities are not all that small. They are just small in the Indian context, but (to us) they are huge by any stretch of the imagination,” he told the Malaysian media delegation here yesterday.

“I will bring it up and the appropriate agencies will take action to expand the number of visa centres in India,” he said.

The five visa centres in India are currently located in New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Calcutta.

Malaysian companies were urged to tap into the emerging middle-class in India once the services and investments sectors between Asean and India were liberalised.

Najib: Malaysia to receive English teachers from India to improve language proficiency

Najib and Manmohan discussing issues at the Asean-India Commemorative Summit, India

 

NEW DELHI: Indian nationals may soon be teaching English in Malaysia, in a bid to help alleviate the shortage of English teachers in Malaysia and to improve proficiency of the language. 

 

"One of the suggestions I raised for the consideration of the Indian Prime Minister is for us to receive teachers in India who are fluent in English to teach our students in Malaysia.

"He welcomed the idea and will instruct the relevant ministry to hold discussions with the (Malaysian) Education Ministry to realise this," said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to the Malaysian media delegation after meeting his counterpart Manmohan Singh here.

Najib is in New Delhi to attend the two-day Asean-India Commemorative Summit, which celebrates 20 years of Asean-India relationship.

Najib said the move would enhance the Government's efforts to alleviate the shortage of English teachers and improve proficiency in the language.

Malaysia has a similar arrangement with the United States, where 75 American teachers are currently teaching English in Malaysia.

When asked how many Indian teachers would come to Malaysia, Najib said the Education Ministry would look into the details and discuss the matter with their Indian counterparts.

On another matter, Najib said more education roadshows would be held in India to promote Malaysia as a destination for tertiary education.

"They (India) send many of their students overseas, so maybe they can look at Malaysia as an alternative (destination) for quality education which is competitively priced," he said.

(Source: The Star Website)

Najib: Malaysia And Indonesia To Continue Negotiations On Manpower Issues

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia and Indonesia would continue negotiating towards agreeing on setting a reasonable agency fee for recruiting workers from the republic.

He said the Lombok Agreement signed during the eighth Malaysia-Indonesia Annual Consultation in Lombok, Indonesia last year had been adhered to, but there were still problems over the agency fee which was regarded as high.

"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has agreed that we work at setting a reasonable fee to enable the Lombok Agreement to be fully implemented," he said at a joint news conference with Susilo at his office, here, Tuesday.

Najib also said that cooperation in education, culture, tourism and people-to-people relations needed to be intensified so that it would grow more comprehensively and mirror the seriousness of the political leadership of both countries in forging closer relations for mutual benefit.

Susilo and his 18-member delegation from Indonesia had arrived in Malaysia earlier today for the 9th Malaysia-Indonesia Annual Consultation for two days with Najib.

Najib and Susilo will sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the area of social welfare and community development after the annual consultation.

Meanwhile, Susilo said Indonesia and Malaysia would continue to work at finding solutions to the manpower issues.

Democracy should be managed wisely: Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said democracy should be managed wisely and effectively to enable the country and the people to enjoy sustainable development.

He reminded the people not to allow anyone to exploit and manipulate democracy for this could lead them to the brink of destruction.

"Democracy must be protected and used wisely as a means of choosing leaders who are really capable and with quality.

"Otherwise, the future of the nation and the people will be shrouded in darkness. This is often voiced out by (former prime minister) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad," he said at the Gala Dinner "Tun Dr Mahathir: Famous Legacy" here tonight.

Najib's speech was read Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob.

The dinner was held in conjunction with the Thoughts of Tun Dr Mahathir Convention which also saw the launch of the Mahathir Distinguished Fellowship Programme.

New houses for more than 1,800 fishermen

PROGRAMMES TO HELP PEOPLE: Najib has breakfast with villagers in walkabout

SUNGAI PETANI: SOME 1,800 fishermen in Tanjung Dawai, near here, who have yet to own a house will soon have a place to call their own.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who shared their concern for proper housing, announced this when he visited the hamlet for a walkabout yesterday morning.

He said the plan, already on the drawing board, would be carried out soon.

"I know many of you live on rented land and want to have a place to call your own.

"We have many programmes to help the people, including fishermen. However, since the general election is around the corner, we may only be able to build the houses later," he said after joining about 100 villagers for breakfast at Kedai Mahazir, a popular food stall.

The villagers served their VIP guest traditional breakfast delicacies, which included peknga (coconut pancake) and gedung chak (glutinous rice stuffed with brown sugar and coconut).

Najib, who spent about 30 minutes with the villagers, also visited the family of trader Fong Ah Mooi, 88, who died of old age on Monday.

The prime minister was later escorted by a flotilla of 200 fishing boats on a 15-minute boat ride to nearby Pantai Merdeka to open the state-level farmers, fishermen and breeders assembly.

Government Committed To Deliver Promises To Indian Community – Najib

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 (Bernama) — The government is committed to deliver all its promises to the Indian community, and had been doing just that over the last three years, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said the results were clear and the impact was positive with longstanding problems having been overcome whilst new issues were being addressed.

 “In looking to the future and in celebrating new beginnings which a new year offers, let us build a partnership based on trust so that, together, we can uplift the community.

“I cannot do this alone and so, I need each and every one of you to walk with me in this journey to bring transformation and the light of hope to all Malaysians,” he said.

Najib said this in his latest entry entitled, ‘Ugadi 2012′, in his blog www.1Malaysia.com in conjunction with the celebration of New Year or ‘Ugadi’ for the Malaysian Telugu community tomorrow.

'Najib's policies will win hearts and minds'

KUALA LUMPUR: Former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu believes that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's dynamic leadership and affirmative policies will win the hearts and minds of the people and lead Barisan Nasional to victory in the next general election.

He said the new brand of politics advocated by Najib through his transformation policies and the 1Malaysia concept, which called for the acceptance of the country's diversity as a source of greater unity, has proven that Najib "is a leader for all communities".

The elder statesman of Malaysian Indian politics said Najib's outreach programmes to all communities and his advocating of moderation or wassatiyah through dialogue and peaceful co-existence, had won the hearts and minds of many who had turned their backs on BN in 2008.

"I have been in politics for more than 30 years and I know what the Indian community is thinking now. Never have they seen such a leader who has been so kind to them.

"The (majority of the) Indian community has come back strongly for BN this time around because their grievances have been heard," said Samy Vellu, who became a minister in 1979 until his retirement in 2008.

Samy Vellu noted that there were sizeable numbers of Indians in the Bersih 1.0 and Bersih 2.0 demonstrations in the past, but very few in Bersih 3.0, and this showed that they now felt that "they have a government that was prepared to look into their plight."

Furthermore, Samy Vellu said Najib had won a lot of admiration from the Indian community, especially the Hindus, from his visits to the Sri Subramaniya Temple at Batu Caves during Thaipusam.

Samy Vellu, who has been appointed the country's special envoy with ministerial rank for infrastructure to India and Southern Asia since January last year, said he was happy to be able to use his experience of almost 30 years in government to support Malaysian companies in their overseas expansion for infrastructure projects. Bernama

(Source: www.nst.com.my)

Barisan will look after Indian Muslims, says Najib

Up close and personal: Najib shaking hands with members of Kongress India Muslim Malaysia during the 36th delegates conference at PWTC.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Indian Muslim community has contributed much towards the political, economic and social development of the country.

The Prime Minister said the community, through Kongress India Muslim Malaysia (Kimma), had backed Barisan Nasional in all general elections as well as by-elections.

“It is appropriate that Barisan reciprocates and addresses problems faced by the community,” he said when opening Kimma's 36th delegates conference here yesterday.

Najib was attending the conference for the first time.

Kimma, which was formed in 1976, was accepted as an associate member of Umno in August 2010.

Najib said that there was no distinction between Malays and Indian Muslims.

“We are all in the same boat. There is no problem at all,” he said.

Najib regains Indian support

A TAMIL song, Why This Kolaveri Di, written and sung by popular south Indian  actor Dhanush, is enjoying  phenomenal success far beyond the Indian state of Tamilnadu, where it was recorded and produced. 

The song, built around a south Indian folk rhythm, instantly went viral on social networking sites for its quirky "Tanglish" (a mixture of Tamil and English) lyrics.

Soon the song became the most searched YouTube video in India and an Internet phenomenon across Asia. Within days of the release of the video, it received more than 3.5 million views on YouTube and more than one million likes on Facebook.

The song is also very popular among non-Tamil speakers, probably due to the Tanglish lyrics. By November last year, the song had garnered over 10.5 million YouTube views. As of today, the song has hit more than 50 million YouTube views.

When Datuk Seri Najib Razak appeared live on local Tamil radio station THR Raaga late last month, he disclosed that the song was also one of his favourites because of its catchy tune.

Even Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh likes the song, the prime minister told listeners of the station's top-rated breakfast show Kalakkal Kaalai (morning hustle and bustle).

Far from trying to promote the song, Najib's appearance on the show was obviously aimed at further reaching out to Indians, the majority of whom are warming up to his various initiatives for the community.

‘Achamillai’ Najib sets 5-year target for Indians

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said today he hoped to see a vast improvement in the status and welfare of the Indian community in the country over the next five years.

Najib said he also wanted to see the Indian community fully integrated into the mainstream of national economic development.

“I hope that within (the next) five years, we will see the improvement of the Indian community,” he said during an hour-long interview with deejays Aanantha and Uthaya on the “Kalakkal Kaalai” breakfast show over THR Raaga radio.

“As you know, our target is to double our income level by 2020, basically to about US$15,000 per capita,” he told the listeners.

“We target better and better, and we will deliver what we promise,” he said.

Responding to a question from a listener, Najib said the government had achieved much for the Indian community over the last two years and there was greater recognition and awareness of problems faced by Indians.

He said new approaches were taken in recognising and tackling these problems, even from the time when he was the deputy prime minister and chaired the Cabinet Committee on Indian Affairs.

“Some of the things done include the allocation for Tamil schools, where it is the largest ever in our history. The latest decision, for example, is (providing) 1,000 additional places in our matriculation colleges, starting from this year. Previously, it was just 500,” he said.

Najib makes cameo appearance on THR Raaga

In attempt to reach out to the Indian community, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak made a cameo appearance on Tamil language radio station THR Raaga this morning.

“Believe in the government. We have proven ourselves in the past three years. We are sincere. Trust in us,” he said at the end of an hour-long casual interview on the station’s breakfast show Kalakkal Kaalai.

Najib told the programme, which runs from 6am to 10am on weekdays, that he wooed listener with his grasp of Tamil words such as “nambikei” (trust), “Ore Malaysia” (1Malaysia) and “acchamillai” (no fear).

Najib spoke about the efforts taken by the government under his leadership to improve facilities offered to the minority community including allocation for Tamil schools, increased spots in matriculation programmes for Indian students and scholarships for Indian students to pursue their studies at the Master’s and PhD levels.

Najib promises to continue to work hard for the people

SANDAKAN -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised to continue to work hard for the people, especially the younger generation who are the country's future

 He said it was important for the government to pass the reins of leadership when the country had prospered and developed.

 "Thank you for believing in me and I hope you will continue to support the Barisan Nasional.

 "The government is very serious to engage with youths because you will become the leaders of our country one day," he told his ardent fans connected to him through his Facebook page called Ah Jib Gor or big brother Najib in Mandarin, here, today.

 Najib hoped the youths would not make a mistake when electing a prime minister in the coming general election.
 "Please support BN if you still want me in my present position or you will get the wrong Ah Jib Gor or big brother," he said to cheers from his fans who chanted 'Ah Jib Gor'.

 Najib, who also presented the fan club's membership certificates, hoped the300-member fan club in Sandakan, which was launched in September, would continue in strength.  -- Bernama

(Source: New Straits Times - 16 December 2012)

PM Najib: Economic growth is enabling implementation of development programmes

Najib Tun Razak during a groundbreaking opening Lupak Mosque in Batu Sapi Widespread

SANDAKAN: The country's encouraging economic growth has enabled the Government to implement development programmes and channel aid to the people.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak said this was the reason why Barisan Nasional had made it a priority to do its best in managing the country, especially with regard to economic growth.

He said Barisan could manage the country well currently although other countries were facing problems.
"We have managed the country well while countries in Europe were being saddled with debts, the United States (US) is facing problems due to its political clashes while countries in the Middle East were undergoing uprisings.

"Malaysia, on the contrary, is recording economic growth that has received praise from the international community," he said at a gathering with the people in the Batu Sapi Parliamentary Constituency and the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kampung Lupak Meluas Mosque, near here Sunday.

Upon completion, the new mosque, built at a cost of RM5mil, will be the biggest in Batu Sapi. It is located beside the Public Housing Project area where 180 housing units are now under construction.

According to Najib, the country's economic growth rate has also received praise from International Monetary Fund (IMF) chairman Christine Lagarde, whom he had met recently.

"We have achieved good economic growth, and when the country's revenue increases, the economy improves and we distribute this wealth to the people," he said.

"That's the principle that I hold on to in the aspect of social justice. The 1Malaysia concept was introduced not merely as a slogan but it has principles and comprehensiveness," he said.

Najib said the Government implemented the 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) due to the strong national economic revenue and it is being continued for BR1M2.0 next year. - Bernama

(Source: The Star Website - 16 December 2012)

Youths happy with Najib’s stewardship

Forty-six percent of them are satisfied with the way the prime minister's managing the nation, according to a survey.

PETALING JAYA: The majority of Malaysian youth between the ages of 17 and 35 have expressed confidence in Najib Tun Razak’s stewardship of the nation.

According to a nationwide survey, 46% are happy with the way the prime minister is running the country while 17% had little or no confidence at all in him.

His popularity could be attributed to the 1Malaysia Youth Fund which provides a platform for youths to channel their talent and energy in promoting development.

“Malaysian youth are politically sensitive…they are aware of core government policies,” said Nur Azrina Azhar, senior programme officer at The Asia Foundation, which conducted the survey.

Two thousand one hundred and five youngsters took part in the survey which was carried out in April this year.
Five institutions, mainly the civil administration, the police, the legal system, the prime minister and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), were gauged.

The police force and NGOs faired least favourably in the survey, with 29% and 24% having low confidence or no confidence in both respectively.

An ethnic breakdown revealed that Malays and East Malaysia Bumiputeras along with Indian youth had the most confidence in the PM.

Chinese youths, however, had the least confidence in all five institutions with only 48% having trust in the PM and his policies.

(Source: Free Malaysia Today - 14 December 2012)

1M4U Can Turn Malaysia Into Hub, Model In Volunteerism - Najib

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 (Bernama) - 1Malaysia for Youth (1M4U) can turn Malaysia into a hub and a model country in volunteerism with people of different races working together based on the 1Malaysia concept, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The prime minister said the initiative underlined the government noble vision and aspirations in making iM4U as a body and platform to promote and drive volunteerism among the younger generation.

Najib, who is also 1M4U chairman, said the government would promote volunteerism among all Malaysians, especially the younger generation in the public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and government-linked companies (GLCs) in conjunction with the National Convention on Volunteering 2013.

"1M4U will organise the National Convention on Volunteering 2013 in February next year to assemble all active volunteers to discuss the direction of volunteerism among young people in the country," he said when meeting 10 finalists in the My Uni Rocks contest at the Perdana Putra Building here Wednesday.

In an effort to promote structured and regular volunteer activities among youths, he said 100 iM4U Outreach Centres would be opened in all institutions of higher learning in stages next year to serve as a catalyst for volunteerism among undergraduates.

He said 1M4U would extend a RM5,000 grant to each outreach centre to activate volunteer activities, and create the 'Tokoh iM4U Volunteer' and the most active outreach centre awards.

Look at what BN has done for you, Najib tells Indians

Najib (centre) said allocations for Indians have gone up since he became prime minister.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak tonight urged the country’s Indian community to re-evaluate the Barisan Nasional (BN) government’s contribution and assistance to the community throughout the past four years.

The government had resolved many of the community’s pending problems, including providing large allocations to upgrade their education and economic status, he said.

“Since becoming prime minister, the allocations for Indians increased significantly. Assistance for Tamil schools between 2009 and 2012 touched RM300 million, with an additional RM100 million in the 2013 Budget,” he said at the launch of Tamil books by local authors, at the Dewan Tunku Chancellor, Universiti Malaya here.

He said the government had also resolved other problems they had faced, such as identity card and birth certificate applications and citizenship status.

“Under the 1 Malaysia concept, we want to ensure all government policies benefit every ethnic group, big or small,” he added.

He cautioned the people to not believe the opposition coalition who seemed to be confused with their separate views.

“They’re sleeping on the same pillow but having different dreams. We cannot gamble our future. Our future and that of our children is too valuable for that,” he said.

In relation to the Tamil books, Najib requested the Malaysian Institute of Translation and Books to assist more such publications in order to preserve the Indian community’s cultural and literary heritage for future generations.

He said although the Indian community was no different from other ethnic groups in wanting to preserve its own identity, they still contributed towards the nation’s unity and the Malaysian society.

“I’m here to support Makkal Sakti Party and Universiti Malaya’s efforts because I understand it is close to the Tamil community’s heart.

“I believe this programme can give ‘Puthiya Nambikkai’ (new hope) for Tamil authors in Malaysia,” he said while launching 10 Tamil books by local authors, at the event.

Also present were Sakti Foundation president Datuk RS Thananthiran and Cherish & Share Programme director, Prof Dr M.Rajantheran. — Bernama

(Source: The Malaysian Insider - 23 Novemnber 2012)

MIC PROMISES BIG WIN: Only PM & BN "capable" of shaping Indians' future - Palanivel

KUALA LUMPUR - The MIC has promised a big victory for the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN), based on tremendous support from the Indian community after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took over the reins in 2009.

Party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said the support was stronger for the ruling coalition after receiving great benefits, particularly in education, public service development programme, economy and social programmes initated by Najib.

"Up till 2004, our vote was a fixed deposit. But we lost our fixed deposit in 2008. We now assure that the fixed deposit is backing the prime minister.

"Today, the community realises that only the BN government and the prime minister are capable of shaping their future.

"The Indian votes are important to BN, and saying this, the MIC can bring back at least 600,000 votes to the BN," he said during his speech at the MIC's 66th Annual General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre here Sunday.

The assembly was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Also present were former MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Senate president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang and BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.

Palanivel, who is also minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said the Indian community had always placed Najib as a special leader who could uplift their social and economic status.

Palanivel: PM to look into MIC’s requests

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will study the various requests made by MIC during its just-concluded general assembly.

“We didn't ask for a lot. We made specific financial requests. I raised them in the recent Cabinet meeting and he agreed. The bulk will be included in the 2014 Budget.

“The Government has given a total RM1.8bil to the Indian community since he took over as Prime Minister,” said party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.

 Palanivel had in his presidential address asked the Government to set up a 1Malaysia incubator fund for the Indian community in order to attract young minds; RM10mil for Yayasan Strategik Sosial to train young entrepreneurs; RM10mil to expand MIC's pilot after-school remedial programme, as well as a RM30mil grant to MIED and a matching grant to AIMST University, among others.

Palanivel, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said “momentum” towards MIC had picked up and Najib's support had boosted members' morale.

On the alleged 300,000 stateless Indians in the country, he said Pakatan Rakyat should back its claim with proof and details.

“We need facts. Show us the proof. Don't pluck numbers from thin air,” said Palanivel, who earlier handed out RM1.14mil in funds to 37 churches and Christian NGOs nationwide.

He said the amount had increased from over RM400,000 given previously to church groups.

“The Government has come forward to support temples, churches, gurdwaras, NGOs and welfare associations to ensure no community is left out,” he added.

(Source: The Star Website - 14 December 2012)

Government has Never Turned Its Back on Indians

The Barisan Nasional government has always been prepared to help the Indian community with documentation cases such as applications for citizenships, birth certificates and identity cards, said Human Resource Minister Dr S. Subramaniam.

Stating that upon realising that some in the Indian community were facing citizenship problems, the government launched the MyDaftar programme in 85 locations nationwide two years ago, he said that this showed the government’s commitment to the problems.

As of the present, a total of 9,529 applications have been received, of which 6,590 have been given citizenship status and other documentations, said Subramaniam.

He also added that more cases were being received even until now.

“We’re still prepared to assist anytime and even locate hospital documents to verify the applicants’ birth place,” he said at a press conference on the 1Malaysia MySihat Indian programme, at Wisma PERKESO in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak dismissed allegations that there were 300,000 Indians without citizenships or identity cards as Opposition lies meant to influence the people to hate the government.

(Source: Nambikei Website - 12 December 2012)

We'll fulfill pledges, PM assures Indians

NAMBIKEI: Walk with me to bring on the transformation, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: THE government is committed to delivering all its promises to the Indian community and has been doing so over the years.

In his Tamil New Year and Vaisakhi message, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in realising the 1Malaysia concept, Indians played an important role in working with the government to address the issues faced by the people.

"The government is constantly engaging directly with the people and implementing programmes to transform the country.

"In all our efforts, we are firmly committed to the principle that under the Malaysian sky, no community will be left out," he posted on his 1Malaysia.com.my blog yesterday.

Najib said as the Indian community ushered in the New Year, families throughout the country would reflect on their lives and be grateful for all that they were blessed with.

"The celebration of a new beginning is indeed a special time when families come together. At this time of the year, Malaysians from the Indian community are getting ready to celebrate this in their own special way.

"Malaysia's Tamil and Malayalee communities will mark Putthandu and Vishu respectively. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Sikh community celebrates Vaisakhi, an auspicious day marking the birth of the Khalsa."

Najib also called on Indians to continue building the partnership between them and the government based on trust or nambikei.

"I cannot build this future alone and so I need each and every one of you to walk with me in this journey to bring transformation and the light of hope to all Malaysians.

"In the spirit of 1Malaysia, let us all take the opportunity to celebrate these special days together. I take this opportunity to wish all Hindus a very happy New Year and to all Sikhs, a very happy Vaisakhi."

(Source: 1Malaysia Website)

‘Do not belittle intelligence of Indians’

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak launched a stinging attack against the opposition today, saying that the opposition pact, made up of DAP, PKR and PAS, was trying to cheat the people, especially the Malaysian Indian community.

“They say that there are 300,000 Indians in the country who do not have any documents… 300,000 stateless Indians they say. This is a lie. There are only 9,000 Indians who do not have documents.

“Out of this 9,000 people, we have sorted out 4,500 applications for documents. Another 2,000 applications are still being processed. The registration is open. If there are any Indians without documents, they can walk in and apply to get their citizenship.
“With all this going on, they (the opposition) can cheat that some 300,000 Indians are stateless. This is belittling the intelligence of Indians in the country. You can fool some people some time, but not all the people all the time,” he told some 3,500 people at the opening of 66th MIC annual general assembly here.

He said the opposition had promised that the 300,000 stateless people would be given citizenship within one month after Pakatan Rakyat takes power of the federal government.

“This means, they will process, 10,000 applications in a day and grant citizenship to 10,000 so called stateless Indians daily for a month. This is really belittling the intelligence of Malaysian Indians… can this be achieved…this is another lie,” Najib added.

Najib promises Indians no Batu Caves condo if BN regains Selangor

Najib said the Batu Caves temple complex must be defended.

BATU CAVES, Nov 12 ― Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised today to cancel a controversial luxury condominium being built near Batu Caves that was approved by a Barisan Nasional (BN) administration in 2007, if the BN coalition wins back Selangor from Pakatan Rakyat (PR), stepping up the game in the battle for votes ahead of the coming general elections.

“I want to give an assurance that if BN is successful in taking over the Selangor state government, the 29-storey project will be cancelled by the new BN government,” Najib, who is also the BN chairman, told the crowd at the MIC’s Deepavali open house here.

Noting that the Batu Caves temple complex is “very close to the hearts of Indians who are Hindus”, Najib said that the complex must be defended from any threats to its position.

Selangor has ordered a temporary halt to the construction of the 29-storey condominium near Batu Caves pending the findings of an independent state-level task force to be set up soon, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said on Octber 30.

Najib Announces Several Key Initiatives For Indian Community

KAPAR, Feb 26 (Bernama) — Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak tonight announced several key initiatives for the Indian community which included the construction of new classroom blocks for National-Type Tamil Primary Schools (SJKTs) here and Klang and additional places for Indian students at matriculation colleges in the country.

The prime minister said enough allocations would be provided for the construction of a new block for SJKT Methodist in Kapar as requested by the school’s management and parents of the students there.

In his speech before a crowd exceeding 20,000 people from the community who had gathered for a Ponggal (Indian harvest festival) celebration here, Najib said the government was also looking into building three school blocks needed by SJKT Simpang Lima in Klang.

“The construction of the three blocks is to accommodate the increasing enrolment at the first Tamil cluster school in the country,” he said when addressing the crowd at the TNB quarters Kilat Club field here.

Najib also announced that the intake of Indian students at matriculation colleges would be increased from 559 now to more than 1,500 for the 2012/2013 academic term.

Also present were the prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim and MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel.

'Nambikei' in BN on the rise

TURNING AROUND: A slew of programmes initiated by Najib has seen the Indian community returning to Barisan's fold

MALAYSIAN Indians have benefited much from government policies, especially in the last few years, as new approaches towards legacy problems faced by the community had a   positive impact on a large number of families.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak understands the community better than before, and the government he leads has focused beyond Tamil schools and Hindu temples to empower the Indians economically. It wants to uplift their economic status through initiatives that will be translated into long-term gains.

All the more reason for Indians to give the prime minister a chance to see through his plans for the community.
As political analyst Dr Sivamurugan Pandian says, the community should allow Najib to continue with the government's Indian agenda and allow more time to see and feel the changes.

Malaysia's altered political landscape after the 2008 general election has also made the voice of the minority Indians louder, and their well-being is today being championed through various organisations, including political parties.
The five Tamil dailies, some deemed to be very vocal against the government, also play an important role in deciding where the Indian votes will go, especially in rural areas.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s direct approach has endeared him to the Indian community. Bernama pic

Only BN can give people a better future, says Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday called on the people to give their full mandate to the Barisan Nasional (BN) government for another five-year term to secure a better future for themselves and the country.

FULL OF CONFIDENCE: Najib raises his hand during his speech. — Bernama photo

He said this was because the BN government had varied experience in administering the country since 55 years ago compared to the opposition pact which had no basic understanding in charting a good direction for the country.

Najib said the BN government was sincere in helping all citizens and that after four years (since the last general election), its success was proven with the country recording an economic growth of 5.2 per cent, increased investments from domestic and foreign investors and more than 300,000 job opportunities created.

“The future cannot be gambled away. A vote for the opposition is a vote for uncertain future. But a vote for BN is for a better, secure and prosperous future,” he said in his speech when opening the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP) 59th Annual General Assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre, here, yesterday.

Also present were former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, PPP president Datuk M.Kayveas, its senior vice-president and Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, BN secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor and Dewan Negara president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang.

Najib promised that as prime minister, he would do his best for the people and country, and also to govern in a fairer and more just manner in ensuring the people received the attention and benefits from BN’s policies and administration.

An Effective Leader is a People-Person

PM asks Indian community to place trust in BN

Najib (centre) with MIC leaders after launching the MIC general assembly

 

KUALA LUMPUR: The nation's Indian community must place its trust in Barisan Nasional for the 13th general election to ensure a good future, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said support from the Indian community had waned in the last general election.

He said the dip in support was not due to their confidence in Pakatan Rakyat, but the desire for Barisan to transform and be more attentive to their needs.

"Over the last four years, Barisan has been paying attention to the Indian community and this has helped win back their trust," he said when launching the 66th MIC general assembly here Sunday.

He cited the RM540mil allocation for Tamil primary schools since 2009 as an example of the Government being more attentive towards the community's needs.

Najib, who is also Barisan chairman, warned the Indian community of the empty promises of the Opposition to gain their support in the coming polls.

He noted the Opposition was playing up the issue of the alleged 300,000 stateless Indians.

He said so far, 9,000 Indians had come forward to register with the National Registration Department for their citizenship, MyKad and birth certificates.

"I assure you that the matter will be resolved for those who come forward and are eligible," he added.

(Source: The Star Website - December 9, 2012)

Najib calls on MIC to return Indians as BN’s ‘fixed deposit’

The PM flanked by MIC president Datuk Seri G Palanivel (left) and former president Datuk Seri Samy Vellu at MIC’s AGM today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 — The MIC must reclaim Indian voters as Barisan Nasional’s (BN) “fixed deposit” in the next general elections, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

The BN chairman reminded his coalition partners of their embarrassing defeat in Election 2008 when massive numbers of Indians voted in favour of the opposition parties that led to the birth of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) pact, and urged them not to be swayed by empty promises.

“In the past 11 general elections, MIC was the main contributor to BN’s fixed deposit but in the 12th GE, it became something else when the government lost that fixed deposit.

“I hope in the 13th general elections, which are soon, MIC can return the fixed deposit to BN. Can, gentlemen?” the Umno president asked the thousands of delegates at the MIC assembly at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) here, today.

Najib, who is also prime minister, reminded delegates that a vote for the opposition is “a vote for chaos.”

“Do you still remember what happened to the Kampung Buah Pala promise? Promises remain promises, only empty promises,” he said, raising the spectre of the 2009 housing controversy in Penang that signalled the start of the Indian community’s disenchantment with the PR pact they had voted in at the 12th general elections.

The Kampung Buah Pala controversy came about when the residents, who were mostly Indian squatters, were ordered to vacate the land before August 3 following the sale of the 2.6-hectare land by the previous BN state government to Koperasi Pegawai Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Bhd.

The villagers who occupied the land — nicknamed the High Chaparral, after the late 60s Western-themed television series about ranchers — had first sought the PR government’s help to intervene after they were issued eviction notices.

Najib pledges 20,000 affordable houses, monorail for Penang

GEORGE TOWN, Dec 8 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak promised today 20,000 units of affordable housing and a monorail system for Penang if Barisan Nasional (BN) recaptures the state in the next general election.

The prime minister also promised more goodies for the island state — a major manufacturing and tourist hub that his BN coalition lost in Election 2008 to Pakatan Rakyat (PR)

“Not less than 20,000 units of affordable housing will be built in Penang,” Najib (picture) said in his opening address at the Promises Fulfilled Tour at Universiti Sains Malaysia here this morning.

He said the housing promise was unconditional, and proved BN was a government that cared for Penang.
Half the 20,000 promised affordable homes will be built under the Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia (PR1MA) scheme, which is now open for registration.

“It is now open for registration online and these housing units will be priced below the market price so if the market price is RM500,000, it will be sold at RM300,000,” he said.

The remaining 10,000 units will be built by several federal government agencies, notably Penang Bumiputera property developer, JKP Sdn Bhd; the Penang Regional Development Authority (Perda); and state-owned infrastructure company Syarikat Prasarana Nasional Bhd (SPNB).

Real estate prices in the land-strapped island state is among the highest nationwide, and its narrow roads are increasingly choked with cars due to a rise in population and disposable income.

WE STAND WITH YOU

Lagu Tema - Janji Ditepati

Agent For Change: A Q&A With The PM On How The Things He Does Are 'For The Good of The Nation'

 PUTRAJAYA: Much wiser after four years, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not mince words, saying Umno has to run faster to catch up with him.

"Change or you will be changed," Najib warned.

Showing the political maturity wanted of many leaders, Najib also threw this challenge to Pakatan Rakyat: "For the good of the nation, set up a formal coalition, put up a shadow cabinet and we can sit down as mature leader."

Najib said all these and more to The Malay Mail journalists in an exclusive interview which lasted well part midnight in Seri Perdana on Sunday.

The Malay Mail (TMM): After the Umno AGM, are you more confident that you have managed to consolidate the party in time for the elections... you know, all the various "factions"?

NAJIB: I believe Umno is a much invigorated party after the clarion call I made, about four years ago, that we need to go through a process of self analysis, self criticism to know what we need to do to overcome the weaknesses and shortcomings that led to the political tsunami of 2008.

... also for us to consolidate ourselves and work on a plan to strengthen and revive Umno. I see that coming to a head, so to speak. All the work we've done over the last four years have come to fruition at this assembly because I see Umno with renewed vigor... a much more united Umno.

Of course, we still need to look at some of the internal challenges we have. That goes with every political party, there will always be differences of opinion. But, by and large, people want to work together to achieve a big victory for Umno and Barisan Nasional.

 TMM: Do you see more seriousness in Umno, this time (in responding to your calls to change face new realities)?

NAJIB: I do! I do see a stronger spirit, and they're heeding my call. For example we should be more inclusive, Umno should lead the way, we should take care of the Malays as well as the other races in the country.

I think that's gone through the assembly because people didn't ridicule or knock down the other races (this time) and there was none of the sensitive racial statements or terminologies that were used before.

This is a much more balanced and much more matured assembly, an assembly that is primed to go to battle, so to speak.

Setia Malaysia 2012

Indians in Terengganu urged to ignore ‘opposition’s propaganda’

KEMAMAN, Nov 28 — The Indian community in Terengganu has been advised against being influenced by the propaganda of the opposition political parties.

Air Putih state assemblyman Wan Abdul Hakim Tan Sri Wan Mokhtar said the community should ignore attempts by the opposition to incite hatred in them against the government, and should be proud that their welfare was always taken care of by the government.

He said Malaysia continued to focus on nation building and needed the support of all, regardless of whether they were from the majority or minority groups.

“The government has met the needs and wants of the Indian community, and the Indians in Terengganu have benefited from development in various aspects, including education and health.

“We don’t want the opposition to plant untruths in the community; so, we must unite to preserve the peace and racial harmony we have enjoyed all this while,” he told Bernama after launching a Deepavali programme in Jabor, near here, last night.

About 300 Indians, most of whom worked at the Sime Darby estate in Lembah Jabor as well as rural people from Semambu, Kuantan, attended the event, organised by the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), National Security Council, Lembah Jabor Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) and the Air Putih Community Service Centre.

Meanwhile, Jabor Estate JKKK chairman Siva Kumar Sri Raman said the Indians of Air Putih were grateful that they were able to live peacefully in Malaysia and were proud of the government’s concern for them as a minority group.

“There are only 200 of us in Air Putih, but we have never felt neglected. Instead, we are always asked to give our views and cooperation for infrastructure and social development here.

“We will surely strive together to retain the present government because we are satisfied with what we have been enjoying,” he said.  — Bernama

(Source: The Malaysian Insider Website)

Indian-Malaysians urged to vote for government

KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community should continue to support the Barisan Nasional (BN) “as it has been proven that the coalition is capable of championing the cause of the people,” said Kota Tinggi Barisan Nasional (BN) division chairman Syed Hamid Albar.

He said there was no reason for them to vote for the opposition who only aspired to capture Putrajaya.
He said the government had provided various needs of the Indian community including in terms of education, the economy and raising the living standard of the community.

“What is needed is that all of us work hard so that no one is left behind and deprived of development and has to face hardship and poverty,” he said at a handing over of contributions in conjunction with the Deepavali celebrations, at the office of the Kota Tinggi MIC division.

At the function, Syed Hamid handed over contributions in the form of food and RM100 in cash to 80 recipients.
In October, leaders also pushed the community to support the government in elections to be held before April next year. A number of reports suggested that the minority community was galvanizing behind the BN.

MIC President G Palanivel said the Indian community’s support of the government was “increasing significantly as a result of the transformation programs implemented by Prime Minister Najib Razak.”

Indians were being provided with more business and educational opportunities, he added.

“Therefore, the Indian community is urged to continue supporting the Barisan Nasional government as it has proven that it cares for all Malaysians, regardless of race,” he said.

He was speaking at a Family Day organized by the Temerloh MIC Youth and Women movements, which was also attended by Temerloh member of parliament and Higher Education deputy minister, Saifuddin Abdullah.

The Indian vote is being seen as vital in the upcoming election and local analysts have told Bikyamasr.com that the community remains split on who to vote for.

The opposition is trying to oust the ruling government for the first time since Malaysia became independent of Britain. - BM

(Source: www.bikyamasr.com)

Government to allocate RM180m to Indian business community

 

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — The government will be setting aside RM180 million in the form of various loans for the betterment of local Indian entrepreneurs, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced yesterday.
From the RM180 million, he said, RM150 million would be reserved through RM10 million from each of the participating 13 banks under the Budget 2012 SME Financing Fund, RM10 million SME soft loans from Malaysian Industrial Development Finance (MIDF), RM5 million under the Business Accelerator Programme and RM5 million under the Enrichment and Enhancement Programme meant for business start-ups and microenterprises.

In addition to the RM150 million, Najib (picture) said TEKUN Nasional would set aside RM30 million to provide microcredit loans to young Indian entrepreneurs under the Young Indian Entrepreneurs Development Scheme (SPUMI).

“Through this dedicated RM180 million fund for the Indian community, the government will manage to assist more Indian entrepreneurs to obtain loans, to start up or expand their businesses.

“In the Malaysian Indian Economic Conference (MIEC) blueprint memorandum discussed with me recently, there are three major issues that Indian businesses feel are preventing them from realising their full potential.

“The first is a legacy issue of negative credit history including bankruptcy and blacklisting. The second involves the various challenges faced in obtaining adequate and timely credit. And the third is for Indians to win contracts from government and government-linked companies (GLCs),” the prime minister said at the gala dinner organised in conjunction with the MIEC in Seri Kembangan.

Najib said the government was committed to assist Indian entrepreneurs to greater heights, and for the noble purpose, the government was going to address the Indian public’s priorities in terms of business opportunities in a threefold manner.

Other than the RM180 million in loans, Najib said the government would go to the ground and register Indians who have been blacklisted or made bankrupt over the next six months and then develop a fair and responsible solution to the problems facing them.

The third initiative would be to ensure that more Indian companies be upskilled and adequately qualified to bid for contracts dished out by the government and government-linked companies (GLCs), as well as ensure that a fair number of these qualified Indian contractors participate in these contracts.

He said the government, via Bank Negara and the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK), would partner with the MIEC to provide advisory services to those who were blacklisted or bankrupt and who wanted a second chance to achieve their aims and goals.

“This government-community partnership will have to organise a nationwide roadshow in much the same way the MyDaftar documentation initiative was implemented. The objective will be to gather precise fact-based feedback from Indians who are blacklisted in various locations throughout Malaysia.

“Once we have all the facts of this matter, we can clearly establish the extent and parameters of this blacklisting-bankruptcy problem. Only from here, can we develop policy measures to alleviate the situation of the people in the community affected by it.

“In this regard, we will also seriously engage with commercial banks so that they too can contribute to helping people clear their negative credit history and therefore, get on with their lives,” he said, adding that he was happy to note that the government had already embarked on this process.

Currently, about 100 people the MIEC had already identified and was already assisting to clear their names.
To address the lack of awareness among Indian business community on what had to be done prior to applying for loans and grants, Najib said the government had already funded the MIEC to set up a permanent secretariat to advise and assist Indian businessmen and women in submitting complete and credible proposals to banks and other financial institutions.

He said the secretariat could work with the Business Advisory Centre under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in providing business advisory, guidance and counselling.

“Our intervention will not just stop there, in six months from now, I want a full report from the MIEC secretariat detailing how many complete applications made to banks and agencies, and how many have been successfully processed and approved.

“Based on this information, the government will take further actions to ensure that credit facilities are made available to all Malaysians who are creditworthy and who have fulfilled all the objective criteria spelled out by banks and other financial organisations,” the prime minister said.

Najib said the MIEC secretariat would also play a role to assist enough Indian contractors to upskill and meet all entry standards set by government, in order for the contractors to capture some contracts catered by the government and GLCs.

“With regards to GLCs, I understand that Khazanah Nasional Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Bhd will work with the MIEC secretariat and begin to take pro-active steps to ensure that more Indian companies participate in the GLC vendor development programmes,” he said.

The government, Najib said would work directly with the MIEC secretariat to know the facts and figures in terms of numbers of successful bids and of other relevant data, and based on the data, the policy makers would be able to make the right policy decisions wherever necessary to ensure that enough opportunities come the way of Indian contractors.

“Related to this, I would also encourage the many private companies that drive our economy to also take pro-active steps to increase Indian participation in their companies’ tenders and outsourcing,” he said. — Bernama

(Source: The Malaysian Insider Website)

India - Malaysia Cooperation in the field of Education

Education is an integral part of India-Malaysia’s multi-faceted relationship. A large number of Malaysians pursue their studies in India. During 1960s and 1970s, an estimated 30,000 Malaysian students studied in Indian educational institutions. An estimated 3000 Malaysian students are currently studying in India, while about 1500 Indian students are studying in Malaysia. Over 30% of doctors in Malaysia today have been studied in India. The Manipal University alone has over 3000 alumni in Malaysia. There are indications of increasing number of Malaysian students going to India for higher and technical/professional education. Malaysians account for 10% of the total number of foreign students studying in India, and there is much scope for growth in this area.

A Memorandum of Understanding for Cooperation in the field of Higher Education was signed on 20 January 2010 during Prime Minister Dato' Seri Najib’s visit to India.

During the visit of Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh to Malaysia in October 2010, the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia accorded permission to the Manipal Group to set up a full-fledged university campus in Malaysia. In this regard, the Manipal Group announced an investment of US $180 million in Malaysia.

The establishment of branch campuses of Indian institutions of higher learning is gathering momentum with a view to make Malaysia as a hub for education among ASEAN countries. Under a twinning programme, Melaka-Manipal Medical College was set up in 2001 with the Manipal Academy of Higher Education as the Indian partner. Replicating the experience, Vinayaka Missions University from Salem in Tamil Nadu, established twinning arrangements with Penang International Dental College (PIDC) in 2005. The Vinakaya Missions University has recently announced further investments in establishing educational institutions in Johor Bahru.

Many other Malaysian educational institutions have also entered into twinning arrangements with Indian educational institutions e.g. University Science Malaysia (USM), Penang, has a twinning arrangement with the KLE University, Belgaum, for the MBBS degree course; and the Management Science University (MSU), Shah Alam, has a twinning arrangement with the M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore, whereby they have set up a special International Medical School (IMS) in Bangalore specifically for their MBBS twinning course. Many other Malaysian institutions are also sending their students for short-term clinical practice training to India.

Scholarship Programme offered by the High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur

The High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur, administers the India Scholarship & Trust Fund (ISTF) under which financial assistance is provided to deserving Malaysian Indian students to cover part of their educational expenses. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, during his visit to Malaysia in October 2010 announced additional funding for the ISTF so as to cater to the needs of more Malaysian Indian students. Due to the availability of larger funding, more students were selected under the ISTF  for the Academic year 2011-2012, and many of them received  higher  financial assistance than given in the previous years. The following table summarises the number of students selected, and the total amount of financial assistance disbursed, during the last four years:

Year	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
No. of students selected	56	60	28	51
Total amount disbursed (RM)	46,500	46,500	44,000	103,000

 



Scholarship Programmes offered by the Government of India

Through the Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC), the Government of India has recently instituted a new scholarship programme for children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to study in Higher and Technical Institutions in India. A total of 100 admission-cum-scholarships are offered annually to students from 40 countries, including Malaysia. The objective of SPDC is to make available India’s highly developed higher education system to the children of the Indian Diaspora (PIOs and NRIs) living in the 40 select countries. The amount of scholarship is 75% of the Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) up to a maximum ceiling limit of US$3,600/ per year.

A limited number of seats are also offered to Malaysian students in medical, dentistry, and engineering disciplines under the ‘Nomination under Self-financing Foreign Students (SFS)’ scheme. Since its inception, a number of Malaysian Indian students have been selected under this scheme to pursue medical, dentistry, and engineering degrees in various Government colleges in India.

In addition, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) based in New Delhi offers scholarships for Malaysian students to study Indian dance, music, painting and sculpture, and also to pursue higher education (both Bachelors & Masters) in various fields, except medical related courses. ICCR offers 4 different kinds of scholarships for Malaysia: 1) ICCR scholarship for dance and music; 2) General Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS) for UG and PG courses; 3) IOR-ARC scholarship for postgraduate studies; and 4) AYUSH Scholarship Scheme for undergraduate courses in traditional systems of Indian medicine.

Under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITEC), training in India is provided for Malaysian candidates in various fields such as banking, Information Communication and Technology (ICT), audit and accounts, hydrology, management, journalism, etc. The ITEC programme was started in 1964 and 47 institutions in India are empanelled under the ITEC programme, offering more than 270 training courses to 161 partner countries including Malaysia.

Under the TCS of the Colombo Plan, India sponsors training courses to Malaysia, especially for those working in the government related sectors. The TCS of Colombo Plan was started in 1950 and has over 40 empanelled institutions in India, offering over 200 training courses to the member countries of the Colombo Plan, including Malaysia.

(Source: Indian High Commission Website