MIC president S Samy Vellu, considered Malaysia's foremost Indian leader, said today that any hiccups in the long-standing ties between Malaysia and India could be settled.

This was because Kuala Lumpur and New Delhi have always maintained strong and cordial relations, he told

Bernama.

Commenting o­n claims of police high-handedness against Indian information technology (IT) professionals here last Sunday, Samy said that Acting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had directed the Inspector-General of Police to conduct a full probe into the matter.

Wait for investigation

He said Abdullah, who is also Home Minister, had acted promptly after he brought the matter to his attention upon being contacted by the Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia Veena Sikri.

All parties should wait for the outcome of the investigation, he said.

Samy Vellu, who is also Works Minister, was asked to comment o­n reports from New Delhi that India was still angry over the alleged incident and was planning to cancel all bilateral visits, ground extra landing slots for Malaysia Airlines and take other measures that could hurt Malaysia.

The Hindustan Times reported that India was also considering excluding Malaysian companies from road construction projects and freezing Malaysian palm oil imports.

Last Sunday, police raided Palm Court apartments in Brickfields and detained 165 Indian nationals, mainly IT specialists, following reports that they were in the country illegally.

More things to do

Samy Vellu said the incident should not be used as a yardstick to measure "Malaysia-India friendship".

"There are more things for both countries to do together. Boycotting or telling don't give contracts to Malaysian companies cannot be based o­n this (incident)," said Samy Vellu who received o­ne of India's highest award, the "Bharatia Samman", from Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi o­n Jan 9 this year.

Samy Vellu, who was credited for his efforts in initiating and securing construction projects worth billions of ringgit for Malaysian companies in India through his many working visits to the sub-continent, said Malaysia-India ties were vital for both countries,