Malaysian Indians have served in the Cabinet of Malaysia since independence and continue to do so. Tun Samy Vellu is one of the longest serving ministers in the Cabinet of Malaysia. He held the post of Minister of Public Works and Utilities from 1979 to 2008. Following his departure from the cabinet, he was appointed Special Envoy of Infrastructure to India and South Asia. Gobind Singh Deo is the first Malaysian Sikh cabinet minister.