KOZHIKODE: Kerala and Malaysia have decided to explore stronger cooperation in key sectors including information technology, tourism, education and trade, following a meeting between Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kozhikode on Monday.
The meeting was held at the Tulah Wellness Centre in Chelembra, where Anwar Ibrahim was staying during his visit to Kerala. The discussions focused on expanding the existing ties between Kerala and Malaysia and identifying new areas for development cooperation.
According to the sources, the two leaders assessed the long-standing friendship between Kerala and Malaysia and the significant role played by the Malayali diaspora in strengthening relations between the two regions. The active presence of Malayalis in Malaysia was viewed as an important foundation for further expanding bilateral and people-to-people connections.
The meeting also discussed the possibility of broadening cooperation in sectors with considerable potential for mutual benefit, particularly IT, tourism, education and commerce. The decision to strengthen collaboration in these areas is expected to create new opportunities for investment, knowledge exchange, tourism promotion and business partnerships.
CM arrived at the wellness centre by helicopter at around 2.30 pm to meet the Malaysian Prime Minister. Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal also attended the meeting. During the interaction, CM presented Anwar Ibrahim with a traditional memento featuring the cultural imagery of Kerala's Kathakali.
The Malaysian Prime Minister also exchanged gifts with the Chief Minister. The Malaysian Prime Minister has been in Kerala since Sunday evening after attending the BRICS conference in New Delhi. His visit to Kozhikode was primarily connected with his meeting with prominent Sunni scholar and Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliyar.
On Sunday night, Kanthapuram presented Anwar Ibrahim with the first "Excellence Award" instituted by the Sheikh Abu Bakar Foundation at a function held at Karanthur Markaz in Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode.
The Malaysian Prime Minister subsequently visited the Madavoor C M Valiyyullahi Makham, a prominent pilgrimage centre in Kozhikode, accompanied by Kanthapuram. Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to return to Malaysia via the Maldives after completing his Kerala visit.