CM Satheesan, Malaysian PM discuss expanding Kerala-Malaysia ties
Kozhikode Sep 14 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Monday met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and discussed ways to expand cooperation between Kerala and Malaysia in information technology, sustainable tourism, higher education, and trade.
Satheesan described the meeting, which lasted 40 minutes, with the visiting Malaysian Prime Minister as an absolute honour and said Kerala’s historic cultural ties with Malaysia and the vibrant Malayali diaspora there continued to anchor the enduring relationship between the two sides.
State Industries and IT Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty and Indian Union Muslim League supreme leader Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal accompanied Satheesan to the meeting.
The interaction assumes significance against the backdrop of Kerala’s long-standing links with Malaysia, which predate the large-scale migration of Malayalis to the Gulf countries from the 1970s.
Malaysia had been a major overseas destination for Keralites even before the Gulf migration began, and a sizeable Malayali community has since established deep roots in the country.
Several Malayali families in Malaysia now belong to the third generation of settlers, giving the relationship a strong social and cultural dimension beyond economic ties.
Satheesan, in a social media post after the meeting, said the discussions had been productive and focused on expanding cooperation in areas that could directly benefit Kerala and strengthen its links with Malaysia.
The emphasis on IT and higher education comes as Kerala seeks to deepen international partnerships in emerging sectors, while sustainable tourism offers scope for cooperation between two destinations with strong natural and cultural attractions.
Trade was also identified as an area for expanding economic engagement.
Ibrahim had come to Kerala amid his visit to India for the BRICS Summit.
His Kerala engagements have drawn attention to the longstanding people-to-people links between the state and Malaysia.
The Malaysian Prime Minister is scheduled to leave Kerala for the Maldives.
The meeting between Satheesan and Anwar comes as Kerala seeks to leverage its historic overseas connections not merely as a legacy of migration but as a platform for new partnerships in technology, education, tourism and commerce.
–IANS
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