India leans on Msia over mass detention of IT experts
NEW DELHI India yesterday made a fresh demand for an explanation from Malaysia on the mass arrests of Indian IT professionals and warned the issue was affecting bilateral ties, an official said.
The demand was issued by the Indian diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.
"We have reiterated our request for quick answers," Sarna said, as Kuala Lumpur prepared to release the remaining four Indian nationals still in detention .
NEW DELHI India yesterday made a fresh demand for an explanation from Malaysia on the mass arrests of Indian IT professionals and warned the issue was affecting bilateral ties, an official said.
The demand was issued by the Indian diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said.
"We have reiterated our request for quick answers," Sarna said, as Kuala Lumpur prepared to release the remaining four Indian nationals still in detention .
The Indians were rounded up on Sunday in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 75 were released on the spot, while the other 195 were taken to a police station amid complaints that the Malaysian police defaced their travel documents.
By Monday night, 185 of these were freed after intervention by Indian diplomats in Malaysia. Another six were freed Tuesday.
"It is causing a shadow on bilateral ties. If such treatment is meted out to Indians it will of course cast a shadow on our ties," Sarna said.
No deliberate policy
Visiting Malaysian Minister for Entrepreneurial Development Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the detention was "most unfortunate" and that an
investigation
was underway.
"Certainly, there is no deliberate policy against Indian nationals. If the allegations are true, action will be taken against those responsible," he said.
Many of those who were detained worked in the Multimedia Super Corridor, a business development initiative set up by Malaysia to emulate Silicon Valley in the United States.
Around 40,000 Indian expatriates work in Malaysia, including information technology professionals, engineers, doctors, academics and executives involved in joint ventures.
Malaysia is one of India's largest business partners in Southeast Asia, with the balance of trade heavily tilted in the favour of Malaysia, which signed deals worth RM5 billion (US$1.32 billion) with India in 2001.
Malaysia is also among the top eight investors in India, with its eyes on the country's money-spinning sectors such as telecommunications, petroleum, transportation and industry. AFP
