MALAYSIAN COMMUNITY IN KENYA CARRIES IMAGE OF COUNTRY WELL IN ALL SOCIAL STRATA - PM ANWAR

From Saraswathi Muniappan

NAIROBI, Nov 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the meeting with the Malaysian community in Kenya opened a new chapter in how the community living here continues to flourish with its own strength and uniqueness.

Anwar said that despite working far from home, they were persistent in talking about different work cultures, families and cultural adaptation, as well as maintaining the language, values ​​and warmth of Malaysian manners that are so well known.

"Some have already settled in Nairobi, some have just migrated, but all of them bring the face of Malaysia in every aspect of their lives here," he said in a meeting with the Malaysian diaspora here today.

Some of the diaspora present were among the alumni of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP).

“What really impresses is their sense of belonging and love for Malaysia. They may live far away on the African continent, but their hearts and minds are still tied to the country,” he said.

He said that they indirectly uphold the name of Malaysia with their friendly approach in their workplace.

“I will return to my homeland with a sense of pride and confidence that this kind of relationship based on sincerity and honesty will continue to connect Malaysia with the rest of the world,” he said.

MTCP is a short-term training programme under the Malaysian government offered to developing countries around the world, including Kenya.

The programme was introduced in 1980 as Malaysia’s commitment to sharing development experiences with developing countries.

Under this programme, Malaysia offers various short-term training courses, scholarships, and capacity building programmes in fields such as public administration, education, technology, economics, and social management.

To date, more than 600 officers in Kenya have benefited from the programme, he said.

Kenya is Malaysia's third largest trading partner in Africa with total trade of RM5.7 billion in 2024, an increase of 1.2 per cent compared to RM5.51 billion in 2023.

-- BERNAMA