'We Speak Our Minds' Malaysian PM After India Stop Palm Oil Import Over His Kashmir Remark

India may limit trade with Turkey and Malaysia after leaders of both the countries criticised India’s move to scrap Article 370 allowing special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

However, this tentative decision has not budged PM Mohamad from his stance on Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters during a press conference in the Malaysian parliament, PM Mohamad said, “We felt that the people of Kashmir had benefited from the resolution of the United Nations, and all we are saying is that we should all abide, not just India and Pakistan, but even the United States of America and other countries. We speak out our mind, we don’t retract and change.”

India’s bilateral trade with Malaysia and Turkey is only 2.9 per cent as of March 31, 2019. Although New Delhi enjoys a trade surplus with Turkey we have a trade deficit with Malaysia.

India-Malaysia Row

The retaliatory move from the Indian government came after Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Bin Mohamad at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly spoke about India’s move to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Malaysian PM, in his speech, raised concerns over the issue of Jammu and Kashmir along with Turkey in Syria and China in Xinjiang. His remarks accused India of “invading and occupying Jammu and Kashmir” was opposed by the Indians vehemently.

Malaysian PM said, “Now, despite the UN resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, the country has been invaded and occupied”. He further advised India to “work with Pakistan to resolve this problem.”

Days after his speech, Twitter was flooded with exasperated tweets posted by Indians under #boycottmalaysia. The government’s decision to stop palm oil imports from Malaysia received massive support. Malaysia is the second-largest producer of palm oil in the world.

New Delhi already runs a trade deficit with Malaysia on account of its reliance on imported palm oil. The move came to light on Monday when a top vegetable oil trade body in Mumbai asked its members to stop buying Malaysian palm oil, after the sharp comments made by PM Mohamad.

However, Malaysia said that they would still explore the business opportunities with India and also urged New Delhi to buy palm oil from them at the same time remained adamant over their stance on Kashmir.

“We are continuously engaging not only with India but all countries to purchase our palm oil,” MalaysianTrade Minister, Darell Leiking said on Thursday.

India-Turkey Row

New Delhi enjoys a trade surplus with Turkey. However, after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented on the Kashmir issue at the United Nations General Assembly where Erdogan urged India to resolve the issue with Pakistan and give Kashmiris right to self-determination, India is looking for other options.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India, Erdogan commented on Kashmir as India supported Syrians over Turkish on the Turkey-Syria conflict.

After the incident, PM Modi cancelled his visit to Ankara this year to show displeasure over Erdogan’s comment.

The stance of Modi government on Syria was further welcomed by Syrian Ambassador Riad Kamel Abbas saying New Delhi has a “strong voice” in the international community and Damascus looks forward to joining hands with it for further cooperation.

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