Kuala Lumpur: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a two-day visit to Malaysia at the invitation of his counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, members of the Indian diaspora on Saturday expressed excitement, saying they had been eagerly waiting for this moment.
IANS spoke to several members of the Indian community in Malaysia, who shared their enthusiasm ahead of the Prime Minister’s arrival.
A member of the Indian diaspora said, “I’ve been living in Malaysia for around seven to eight years now, so I’m pretty excited to meet Narendra Modi. He has been inspiring and he has been an icon for us.”
Another member said, “I have been here for the last 10 years. I never got a chance to meet Narendra Modi in person in India, but I believe I’m lucky enough to meet him here in Malaysia, outside our country. Hopefully, we will get a chance to take a photo and take blessings from him. He is inspiring all over the world. As an NRI, when we say we are from India, people say you are from Modi Ji’s country. We are really excited to meet him.”
Another member of the diaspora said, “I’ve been working in Malaysia for the last seven years. It’s an exciting opportunity for us to meet Narendra Modi in person. A huge population of Indians live and work in Malaysia, and it’s an opportunity for all of us to meet Modi in person. That’s why we are here. He has been travelling across the world and strengthening ties with many countries.”
Another diaspora member said, “We are very excited. I think around 10,000 to 12,000 people have gathered today. It is a great opportunity to see our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and, if possible, meet him. It will be great to see him. We are eagerly waiting for this moment. I came here for two days and have participated in the decoration.”
Another member said, “It’s a proud moment for all of us. I am a big fan of PM Modi, and I am eagerly waiting to meet him in person.”
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi said that his visit to Malaysia will aim to deepen defence and security ties between the two nations and will further enhance the economic and innovation partnership.
This is his third visit to the Southeast Asian nation, and the first after the elevation of the India-Malaysia bilateral relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in August 2024.
In his departure statement, the Prime Minister said, “The historic ties between India and Malaysia have seen steadfast progress in recent years. I look forward to my discussions with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and further enhancing our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
(IANS)
