Malaysian officials say Anwar's Tamil Nadu visit was dropped for scheduling reasons
Human Resources Minister R. Ramanan said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim cancelled a planned meeting in Tamil Nadu because his itinerary was already full.
During the 18th BRICS Leaders' Summit, Human Resources Minister R. Ramanan explained that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s itinerary could not accommodate a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. The chief minister left Chennai on Sept 10 for an official trip to Europe and will be back only on Sept 17, making coordination impossible. Anwar’s program includes high-level talks with leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Masoud Pezeshkian, Narendra Modi and the Ethiopian prime minister, plus numerous business engagements.
After New Delhi, the prime minister will travel directly to Kerala on Sept 13, then to the Maldives on Sept 15, and return before Malaysia Day. Ramanan emphasized that the adjustment was purely a scheduling issue, not a political decision, and urged parties to avoid spreading false narratives.
Why it matters
The clarification shows the visit’s focus on high-level diplomacy rather than regional politics.
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