COCHIN (India): A delegate attending the global conference of people of Indian origin (POI) which began yesterday, has suggested that a permanent secretariat be set up in Malaysia to draw up an action plan for the development of the community.
MIC Central Working Committee (CWC) member SP Manivasagam said, such a secretariat could draw up a blueprint to operationalise long-term action plans among POI in diverse areas such as heritage, culture, science, tourism and education, and not just focus on business projects.
He suggested the Indian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur take up the initiative to set up the secretariat to optimise the immense potential of Malaysian Indians with other counterparts in India and elsewhere.
With about 25 million POI residing outside India, the Indian community needs to go beyond coordinating the annual ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’ or global conference on POI to undertake tangible projects.
It would also go a long way in keeping the young generation informed of their heritage and potential which they could harness by sticking together and mobilising their resources, Manivasagam told Bernama here yesterday.
He said Malaysia, which had an Indian population of 2.5 million, contributed immensely to the annual conference, but the time was imminent for a permanent secretariat to provide direction and implement projects.
The fact that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak appointed Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu (former MIC president) as Special Envoy to India and South Asia, speaks volumes of the importance that Malaysia has attached to intensifying ties with India. — Bernama
With the global populace of POI in excess of 25 million spread over in more than 150 countries, Manivasagam said there was much potential in a permanent secretariat that could identify tangible projects involving Malaysia, India and POI from the rest of the world.
The conference which would be officiated by Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Tuesday is a celebration of the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India, and has provided a platform for the Indian Diaspora to engage and network for mutual benefit.
“We must now take a further step to advance these networking efforts through a permanent secretariat,” said Manivasagam. — Bernama