DPM BEGINS FIVE-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO INDIA TUESDAY

KUALA LUMPUR, March 8 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin leaves for Mumbai Tuesday evening on a five-day official visit to India during which he will discuss issues of common interest with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Muhyiddin will be accompanied by a delegation comprising, among others, Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor, Human Resources Minister Dr S. Subramaniam, Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister M. Saravanan, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and Malaysia's Special Envoy to India and South Asia on Infrastructure S. Samy Vellu.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the visit was at the invitation of Dr Manmohan Singh and Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna.

In Mumbai, Muhyiddin is scheduled to attend a roundtable meeting with selected Indian captains of industry and a dialogue with representatives of Malaysian companies operating in India, and visit the VFS Global Malaysia Visa Centre as well as meet Malaysians living in Mumbai.

Besides his meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh in the Indian capital on
Thursday, Muhyiddin is scheduled to hold talks with Urban Development Minister Shri Saugata Roy, Road Transport and Highways Minister Dr C.P. Joshi and Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal.

Muhyiddin is also expected to officiate at the opening of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in Gurgaon, New Delhi, and visit the site of an infrastructure joint-venture project between a Malaysian company and an Indian partner.

He will also speak at a luncheon jointly hosted by the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) and the Ministry of External Affairs of India, the statement said.

Muhyiddin will also visit Chennai where he is scheduled to meet Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi who will be the guest-of-honour at the Malaysian Cultural Night to celebrate the establishment of the twin cities of Kuala Lumpur and Chennai.

Muhyiddin is also expected to meet with the Malaysian squash team competing in the ongoing Squash World Cup Tournament and members of the Malaysian community in Chennai, including students and businessmen.