Aid For Indian Community Channelled Through Many Agencies, Not Just MITRA – PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The allocations and assistance for the Indian community are channelled comprehensively through various ministries and not solely concentrated under the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said there are other programmes with substantial allocations under various ministries that benefit the community in areas such as education, housing and business, in addition to the specific annual allocation of RM100 million for MITRA.

For example, the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid for the Indian community amounted to half a billion ringgit in 2022, while for 2025 it has reached RM1 billion, he said. Additionally, the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme worth RM1.2 billion has been provided for the community.

“In 2024, out of the RM100 million allocation for MITRA, RM98.9 million has been spent, benefiting 122,082 members of the Indian community.

“Other forms of assistance include RM9.3 million in early education subsidies, RM17.63 million in higher education aid for the Indian B40 community, and RM2.99 million in laptop assistance for SJKT (Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil), involving 6,000 laptops distributed in stages.

“Therefore, claims that the government appears to neglect (the Indian community) or that allocations for MITRA are not approved promptly are not true,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The Prime Minister was responding to a question from S. Kesavan (PH-Sungai Siput) regarding the MADANI Government’s focus through MITRA or other agencies in efforts to comprehensively develop the socio-economic status of the Indian community.

Elaborating, Anwar said that for 2025, the government is taking a different approach in channelling assistance to the community, with better coordination involving each ministry and MITRA.

For example, in the case of housing projects for the Indian community under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), he said additional funds from MITRA would be coordinated to cover shortfalls.

“So, if KPKT spends RM20 million, an additional RM5 million (from MITRA funds) will be coordinated. ICT (information and communication technology) laboratory equipment assistance in 50 SJKT receives RM5 million from the Ministry of Education and partly from MITRA.

 “A total of 200 Hindu places of worship or Hindu temples registered as Local Community Centres nationwide have been allocated RM20 million, in addition to a one-off RM10 million allocation from the Implementation Coordination Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM) for minor repairs and maintenance of residences of Indian estate workers,” he said.

On the issue of hardcore poverty among the Indian community, Anwar stressed that efforts to centralise programmes aimed at eradicating hardcore poverty must be strengthened and carried out comprehensively, including involving the community.

He said the MADANI Economic framework focuses on comprehensively eradicating hardcore poverty in every state and district without racial distinction.

“The number of poor among the Malays is very high because the majority of the country’s population is Malays; therefore, (aid) programmes are naturally much higher for the Malay community.

“As for the Indian community, although the population is smaller and the number of poor is smaller compared with the Malays, there are groups within the Indian community who are relatively poorer and among the poorest, and that is what we need to address. That is why the centralisation of programmes to eradicate hardcore poverty needs to be strengthened — our policy is clear,” he said.

Anwar was responding to a supplementary question from V. Ganabatirau (PH-Klang) regarding clear guidelines in the 13th Malaysia Plan to eradicate poverty within the Indian community.

-- BERNAMA