Malaysian politician Gobind Singh Deo on Monday became the first Sikh in the country to be appointed a federal minister, PTI reported. Deo was appointed the minister of communications and multimedia in the Pakatan Harapan coalition’s Cabinet. Deo, along with Indian-origin lawmaker M Kulasegaran, was sworn in on Monday.

Deo, from the Puchong constituency, is the son of late Malaysian lawyer and politician Karpal Singh. He was first elected an MP in the 2008 general elections, PTI reported. In the 2018 elections, Deo won by a margin of 47,365 votes.

Deo is the first Sikh minister in Asia outside India, according to Asia Samachar. Malaysia has nearly one lakh Sikh population.

“It is good to see Gobind Singh, a member of the Punjabi community in the Cabinet,” Miri Indian Association president, Councillor Karambir Singh, told Borneo Post. “It is a proud and happy occasion for our community. Other than being a recognition of his abilities, it is also a recognition for the long-established Punjabi community in Malaysia.”