Amid demands for action on the issue of alleged mistreatment of ethnic Indians in Malaysia, the government summoned the Acting High Commissioner of the country to convey its widespread concern over the latest developments.
The Malaysian diplomat, who was called to the External Affairs Ministry on Monday, maintained that it was an internal matter of his country but assured that Kuala Lumpur would do everything possible to deal with the situation.
"You have seen the level of concern in India... We have drawn the attention of Malaysian authorities to widespread concern in India," Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Menon pointed out how the issue was raised in the country and discussed even in Parliament.
"We raised the issue with the Malaysian mission here. We were assured that they would do everything they can to deal with the situation, which they describe as an internal matter," Menon said.
To a question, Menon said the Indian government accepts the issue to be an internal problem of Malaysia.
Ethnic Indians in Malaysia have alleged discrimination at the hands of the government there and a recent protest by the community was met with force.
Some political parties have been demanding that the matter be taken up with Malaysia but the government feels it cannot be taken too far as it is Malaysia's internal matter.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had guardedly voiced concern over the developments in Malaysia last week, pointing out that the government is worried whenever any person of Indian origin is in trouble anywhere in the world.
