Salutations

1. His Excellency Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh Honourable Minister of State for External Affairs of India

2. His Excellency Mr B.N. Reddy High Commissioner of India to Malaysia

3. His Excellency Mr Jagdishwar Goburdhun High Commissioner of Mauritius to Malaysia

4. His Excellency Air Chief Marshal Sumangala Dias High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Malaysia

5. Dr Ponnusamy Muthaya President, GOPIO International

6. Mr Gunasekaren Sreerangan President, GOPIO Malaysia

7. Mr Ravendiran Arjunan Secretary General, GOPIO International

8. Mr Sashidharan Santhesegaran Secretary General, GOPIO Malaysia

9. Dr Subramaniam President, Malaysian Association of Indian University Graduates (MAIUG) (* Acknowledgment: YB Prakeas Sampunathan, state representative for Kota Kemuning)

● Representatives from the various Indian associations and non-governmental organisations,

● Members of the media,

● Ladies and gentlemen

Vanakkam, Namaste, Sat Sri Akal, Namaskar and Salam Malaysia MADANI to all.

1. Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest welcome, or as we say in Malaysia, Selamat Datang, to His Excellency Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs, India.

2. I am extremely happy to be here to celebrate the rich heritage, culture and diversity of the Indian community at this iconic and historical venue this evening. Thank you to the Global Organisation People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Malaysia for inviting me for this important occasion.

3. I have been informed that this year’s PIO International Festival is set to attract some 25,000 people locally and from abroad. I am happy to note that this event is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia; and the High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur.

4. Malaysia and India have enjoyed a strong relationship since the 1960s. Over the last few decades, our bilateral trade has increased, and many Indian companies have set up operations here in Malaysia. Malaysia has also benefited greatly from Indian expertise particularly in the tech sector.

5. The good ties we have is due to Malaysia’s multiracial society. In Malaysia, we are cognisant of the fact that our country’s unique fabric makes us appreciate the diversity and richness of different cultures and languages much more. It is something we do not and should not take for granted, and instead, we must preserve and uphold this precious heritage and history. Ladies and gentlemen,

6. Just last month, I had the honour of accompanying our Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim on his first official visit to India, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our governments exchanged 8 MoUs to further strengthen our working relationship in various areas, including in the field of digital technologies.

7. The Malaysian government fully supports PM Narendra Modi’s call to expand bilateral trade and investments between both our nations, by way of a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership'. The key areas of possible collaborations include the semiconductor industry, financial technology, defence, and artificial intelligence (AI).

8. I also witnessed the exchange of MoU between the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom). The partnership will see 5,000 Malaysians being trained, and hired by seven Indian global companies in Malaysia over the next three years. They will be trained in several key areas, namely Generative AI, cyber security, software development and Next Gen technologies.

Ladies and gentlemen,

9. As you are all aware, digital permeates every aspect of our daily lives now. There is no avoiding it. When we go to eateries or even roadside stalls to purchase vadai or appam, we are greeted by QR codes. As we gear up for Deepavali next month, murukku and all sorts of festive goodies are being sold on online shopping platforms. This is how vibrant the e-Commerce landscape is now, and this is particularly important for small- and medium- enterprises (SMEs) and our digital economy.

10. Here in our very own Little India, Brickfields, we can see many SMEs thriving here. SMEs form 97% of businesses in Malaysia. They are the backbone of our economy. Thus, it is important that SMEs adopt and adapt to digital technology.

11. Malaysia’s MADANI government wants to ensure no one if left behind in our mission to uplift the socio-economy of the Indian community, and to create a digital nation. This is evident the numerous initiatives that have been introduced. RM60 million has been allocated to Indian entrepreneurs, this year, via Tekun Nasional’s Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme. An additional RM30 million has been set aside for training grants under the Malaysian Indians Skills Initiative by the Human Resources Ministry and the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA).

12. In Budget 2024, significant measures were outlined to accelerate the digitalisation of MSMEs nationwide. They include RM100 million in matching digitalisation grants to help MSMEs digitalise their business models. Bank Negara Malaysia, meanwhile, provided 6 RM900 million in loan funds to encourage SMEs to increase business productivity via automation and digitisation.

13. Malaysia aims to achieve RM1.65 trillion in e-Commerce revenue by 2025. I believe this is possible as consumer e-Commerce adoption in the country rose from 45% in 2020 to 70.6% in 2023. Malaysian MSMEs have also adopted e-Commerce at a rapid pace, growing from 130,000 entities in 2016 to over 1.51 million in 2023.

14. This is where technology has helped businesses to grow and expand, particularly small, homegrown enterprises which previously have had little access to sell their products to customers beyond their immediate circle – due to lack of funds, marketing tools or access to a bigger market, for example. Now, the murukku sold by a homemaker is no longer confined to her immediate neighbours or friends. By being online, she can attract customers from all over the country, and beyond! She can also market her products on social media platforms for a reasonable fee, arrange for delivery easily and check for payments made – with a few clicks on her mobile device or computer. This results in a thriving entrepreneur, and a vibrant digital ecosystem.

15. As such, I call on each and every one of you here today to embrace the power of digital technology – regardless if you are a trader selling products or a representative of an organisation educating the public about culture and heritage. And if you are taking photos of the performances, I’m sure too that some of you will be doing some simple post-production or adding some special effects to those photos before you WhatsApp them to your family and friends.

Ladies and gentlemen,

16. As we explore the wonders of technology, let’s not forget the human element that bonds us together. Today marks the beginning of an interesting three-day event that celebrates culture, history, arts and tradition of the various Indian ethnicities in Malaysia.

17. I hear that there will be many wonderful and exciting activities including a history and heritage exhibition, indoor and outdoor traditional games, dance performances and a ‘Walk for Unity’ that will be held on Monday, 16th September, in conjunction with Malaysia Day.

18. I have been given a copy of the ‘Journal of People of Indian Origin Studies’, a noble initiative by GOPIO Malaysia and I’m looking forward to reading it. The journal sees the contribution by several academicians including those from Malaysia, Scotland and the USA. I hope that the journal will also be available online, and digitised to be placed in digital libraries so that more people will be able to access and appreciate the book.

19. With that, I would like to thank GOPIO for having me here today. To those present, have a fun and educational time here. Let’s use technology to form meaningful connections. Let’s explore ways to educate society, and understand our different cultures better.

20. With that, I wish to thank the organiser for inviting me and to all Malaysians here, Selamat Hari Malaysia. Nandri, dhanyavaad, thank you, and terima kasih.

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