Latest news with #SaraswathyKandasami


The Sun
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Indigenous voices key to Malaysia's unity agenda, says deputy minister
KUALA LUMPUR: The voices of indigenous communities will remain central to Malaysia's national unity agenda, ensuring social justice and cultural recognition. Deputy National Unity Minister Saraswathy Kandasami emphasised the Orang Asli and indigenous groups as vital to the nation's demographic and cultural identity. 'Efforts to recognise, protect and empower these communities must be continuous and inclusive,' she said at the Citra Nusa@Muzium Programme: ASEAN Natives and Indigenous Festival 2025. The event, held at the National Museum, celebrates Malaysia's ASEAN Chair role and International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. It showcases cultural heritage from Malaysia's Orang Asli and ASEAN ethnic groups like Indonesia's Mentawai and Thailand's Karen. Saraswathy described the festival as a platform to highlight Malaysia's diverse heritage and boost public appreciation of its cultural wealth. JMM director-general Datuk Kamarul Baharin A. Kasim stressed that indigenous communities are not marginalised but key contributors to national progress. 'We aim to show their success in leadership, entrepreneurship and even social influence,' he said, citing Orang Asli influencer Nur Rafidah Man. The festival's theme, 'Dahulu & Kini', features traditional dances like Sabah's Sumazau and Sarawak's Ngajat. Visitors can explore craft demonstrations, traditional food preparation, and indigenous handicraft sales. Interactive activities include blowpipe competitions, kerchang games, and children's contests. The two-day event underscores Malaysia's commitment to preserving and promoting indigenous heritage. - Bernama


The Sun
26-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
National Unity Ministry proposes 21 initiatives for 13MP in Malaysia
SIBU: The Ministry of National Unity has put forward 21 proposals for inclusion in the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), aiming to strengthen national cohesion through sustainable initiatives. National Unity Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang highlighted that the proposals prioritise the Pembinaan Negara Bangsa initiative, aligning with the ministry's long-term unity goals. 'Nation-building is crucial for Malaysia as a multi-racial and multi-cultural country. It must be formulated comprehensively so that the unity we build will be long-lasting,' he said. His speech was delivered by Deputy Minister Senator Saraswathy Kandasami at the Sarawak-level Unity Week (SMP) 2025 launch in Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang. The event saw participation from key officials, including Ministry secretary-general Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid and Sarawak JPNIN director Diwarna Azool. Aaron added that the ministry is developing a framework to foster a unified national identity. The SMP 2025 celebration, running from July 25 to 27, featured unity-themed activities such as traditional sports, aerobics, and cultural exhibitions. Government agencies and departments also showcased initiatives promoting interracial dialogue and youth engagement, reinforcing Sarawak's diverse community spirit. - Bernama


Malaysia Sun
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Malaysia Sun
It was a fruitful meeting, Malaysian MPs fully support India: JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 2 (ANI): The All-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha met with Malaysian members of Parliament on Monday. Jha described the meeting as 'fruitful,' highlighting strong support for India's position. While speaking to ANI, Jha said, 'It was a fruitful meeting. The Malaysian MPs were aware of the issue, and they are fully supporting it was a good discussion with the members of Parliament here.' The Indian delegation held key meetings with representatives of Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), aimed at strengthening regional ties and conveying India's stance on peace and counter-terrorism. The meeting with DAP was led by YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran V. Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms). Discussions focused on regional peace, legal cooperation, and the fight against terrorism. The delegation later met PKR representatives led by YB Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of National Unity. Both meetings highlighted the growing collaboration between India and Malaysia. Expressing concern over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Malaysian leaders acknowledged India's 'measured' response and reiterated their support for peace and regional stability. Deputy Minister Kulasegaran termed the incident 'shocking' and said, 'India has taken necessary action. We spoke about Malaysia's concerns, and we feel India took steps to protect its national interest. We hope cross-border terrorism doesn't take place anymore.' Echoing these views, Deputy Minister Saraswathy Kandasami said the Indian delegation conveyed a strong message of peace and development. 'The all-party delegation very clearly conveyed the aspiration of the Indian government that India is not at all interested in war,' she told ANI. She added, 'India, as the world's fourth-largest economy, is focused on continued economic growth to become the third-largest economy.' The delegation urged Malaysia and other regional countries to support this vision by promoting peace, especially regarding Pakistan. Reiterating Malaysia's stance, Saraswathy said, 'Our response has been made very clear by our Prime Minister--that Malaysia also has zero tolerance towards any form of violence, be it in any part of the world.' The Indian delegation includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lala, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, among others. Their visit forms part of a multi-nation tour covering Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore, aimed at briefing international partners on India's counter-terrorism efforts and promoting regional cooperation. The engagements follow Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam attack, where 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. The Indian Armed Forces conducted precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, neutralising over 100 terrorists from outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. This diplomatic outreach underscores India's commitment to regional peace, security, and development. (ANI)


India Gazette
02-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Indian all-party delegation meets Malaysian leaders in key diplomatic outreach
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 2 (ANI): An all-party delegation from India, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, held a series of key diplomatic engagements in Malaysia, meeting with representatives of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), as part of a broader outreach to strengthen regional ties and convey India's stance on peace and counter-terrorism. The first meeting was held with the DAP, where the Malaysian delegation was headed by YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran V. Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms). The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest, including regional peace, legal cooperation, and the fight against terrorism. The Indian delegation later met with representatives of PKR, the People's Justice Party. The Malaysian side was led by YB Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of National Unity. Both meetings highlighted the growing collaboration and diplomatic engagement between India and Malaysia. Expressing concern over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Malaysian leaders acknowledged India's 'measured' response and reiterated their support for peace and regional stability. Deputy Minister Kulasegaran termed the incident as 'shocking' and said, 'India has taken necessary action. We spoke about Malaysia's concerns, and we feel India took steps to protect its national interest. We hope cross-border terrorism doesn't take place anymore,' he told ANI. Echoing these sentiments, Deputy Minister Saraswathy Kandasami stated that the Indian delegation conveyed a strong message of peace and development. 'The all-party delegation very clearly conveyed the aspiration of the Indian government that India is not at all interested in war,' she told ANI. She emphasised India's economic priorities, saying, 'India, as the world's fourth-largest economy, is focused on continued economic growth with the goal of becoming the third-largest economy.' She added that the delegation urged Malaysia and other regional countries to support this vision by helping convey the message of peace to Pakistan. Reiterating Malaysia's position, she said, 'Our response has been made very clear by our Prime Minister--that Malaysia also has zero tolerance towards any form of violence, be it in any part of the world.' The Indian delegation includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lala, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, among others. Their visit is part of a multi-nation tour to brief international partners on India's counter-terrorism efforts and promote regional cooperation. The engagements come in the wake of Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam attack, in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. The Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, neutralising over 100 terrorists from outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The delegation's tour includes stops in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore, underscoring India's commitment to regional peace, security, and development. (ANI)


India Gazette
02-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
It was a fruitful meeting, Malaysian MPs fully support India: JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha
Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 2 (ANI): The All-party delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha met with Malaysian members of Parliament on Monday. Jha described the meeting as 'fruitful,' highlighting strong support for India's position. While speaking to ANI, Jha said, 'It was a fruitful meeting. The Malaysian MPs were aware of the issue, and they are fully supporting it was a good discussion with the members of Parliament here.' The Indian delegation held key meetings with representatives of Malaysia's Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), aimed at strengthening regional ties and conveying India's stance on peace and counter-terrorism. The meeting with DAP was led by YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran V. Murugeson, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms). Discussions focused on regional peace, legal cooperation, and the fight against terrorism. The delegation later met PKR representatives led by YB Senator Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of National Unity. Both meetings highlighted the growing collaboration between India and Malaysia. Expressing concern over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Malaysian leaders acknowledged India's 'measured' response and reiterated their support for peace and regional stability. Deputy Minister Kulasegaran termed the incident 'shocking' and said, 'India has taken necessary action. We spoke about Malaysia's concerns, and we feel India took steps to protect its national interest. We hope cross-border terrorism doesn't take place anymore.' Echoing these views, Deputy Minister Saraswathy Kandasami said the Indian delegation conveyed a strong message of peace and development. 'The all-party delegation very clearly conveyed the aspiration of the Indian government that India is not at all interested in war,' she told ANI. She added, 'India, as the world's fourth-largest economy, is focused on continued economic growth to become the third-largest economy.' The delegation urged Malaysia and other regional countries to support this vision by promoting peace, especially regarding Pakistan. Reiterating Malaysia's stance, Saraswathy said, 'Our response has been made very clear by our Prime Minister--that Malaysia also has zero tolerance towards any form of violence, be it in any part of the world.' The Indian delegation includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lala, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi; TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee; CPI-M's John Brittas; and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, among others. Their visit forms part of a multi-nation tour covering Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore, aimed at briefing international partners on India's counter-terrorism efforts and promoting regional cooperation. The engagements follow Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam attack, where 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. The Indian Armed Forces conducted precision strikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, neutralising over 100 terrorists from outfits including Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. This diplomatic outreach underscores India's commitment to regional peace, security, and development. (ANI)