Modi lauds Malay Indians, announces $1 mn for students

KUALA LUMPUR : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sought to enhance India’s connect with its diaspora in Malaysia praising lavishly its accomplishments and making a slew of announcements, including naming a cultural centre here after Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. He also announced one million US dollar as additional fund to the corpus of the India-Students Trust Fund. In his address to the diaspora on the second day of his visit to Malaysia, Modi said his government was prepared to work with the Malaysian government to build a memorial to Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in Malaysia during World War II. Modi said India and Malaysia should recognise each other’s degrees, on which he would talk with his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak. Modi said his government has merged the Overseas Citizen of India and Persons of Indian-Origin cards and made visas life-long. “Besides, Indian-origin up to 4th generation is enough to register for OCI now. This is especially helpful for people like Malay Indians, whose ancestors came here generations ago. Minor children, who are foreign nationals, and foreign spouses can also get OCI status now. We have introduced e-visas that has made travel simpler,” he said.He said the Indian government has opened nine visa collection centres in Malaysia. “There is an eMigrate portal to make it easier and safer for workers to go to certain countries.”Modi said there were times when workers from India get into difficulties here and their welfare and security were at the top of government’s concerns. “Last year, we assisted more than 8,000 Indian workers to return home safely.” Referring to India-students Trust Fund set up in Malaysia in 1954 to give financial assistance to Malaysian-Indian children who lacked the means for education, Modi said the fund was still needed by a section of the Indian community. “We are happy to announce grant of about $1 million in additional funds to the corpus of the Trust Fund,” he said. Modi also announced that his government would install a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Gandhi memorial hall in Malaysia.