Anwar says meeting with Tamil Nadu CM Vijay remains on the cards, either in Putrajaya or Chennai

NEW DELHI, Sept 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the plan for a bilateral meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister remains on the card and that it can take place either in Putrajaya or Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

In an exclusive interview with Thanthi TV, he also dismissed speculations that Chennai did not reciprocate a proposed Malaysia visit leg.

The Prime Minister who is currently in India, was supposed to make a working visit to Chennai first after attending the 18th BRICS Leaders Summit here before heading to Keralam, another state in South India.

However, Chennai was dropped at the eleventh hour.

“It is not true (that Chennai did not reciprocate). From the beginning the Chief Minister’s office said they are trying to adjust his schedule as he had prior commitment and I only a very small window between New Delhi, Keralam and Maldives visit.”

“Even then, he tried to accommodate, and he had a major investment mission and other programmes planned. So, finally I said to him. I will continue to Keralam and Maldives and that I can’t proceed with the Tamil Nadu visit,” Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister explained.

Hence, the fact is both sides tried to align calendars amid prior commitments and that goodwill remains strong, he said.

In a wide-ranging conversation, the Prime Minister offered a candid appraisal of  Vijay, praising his early momentum and appeal among young voters while urging a long-view approach to power anchored in values, patience and practical wisdom.

It is to be noted that Anwar, who was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Vijay, and described him as a “new voice of reason, of principles and of good governance.”

“When I spoke to him (Vijay) I always told him that the challenge when you are here in power, is to sustain the wisdom to navigate because in the real world the battles will be different from what you aim to do,” he said.

Anwar said he was also deeply touched with Vijay’s approach, especially the zeal for reforms, clean up as well as to address poverty and corruption issue.

Prime Minister said he also shared with the Chief Minister that it is not an easy mission as sustaining good governance requires navigating complex pressures without losing sight of core principles.

Anwar also revealed that  he had shared his book with the Tamil Nadu leader after a substantive conversation, noting Vijay’s openness to learning.

“He listens,” Anwar said, calling it a promising trait in a climate where quick applause often overshadows reflection.

In the interview, the Prime Minister also underscored the civilizational weight of Tamil Nadu, from the Tirukkural’s moral clarity to cinema’s power to educate and argued that Vijay’s cultural influence carries diplomatic potential.

For Malaysia, where the majority of ethnic Indians are Tamils, Vijay’s popularity is more than celebrity and it is an opportunity to deepen people-to-people ties. — Bernama