Anwar said the government has introduced multiple programmes with significant allocations under several ministries to support the community in areas such as education, housing, and business, in addition to the annual RM100 million allocation for MITRA.
Citing examples, Anwar highlighted that the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid for the Indian community amounted to RM500 million in 2022, while for 2025, the allocation has increased to RM1 billion. He also revealed that the government has allocated RM1.2 billion under the Housing Credit Guarantee Scheme to benefit the community.
“In 2024, out of the RM100 million allocation for MITRA, RM98.9 million has already been spent, benefiting 122,082 members of the Indian community,” Anwar said during the Minister’s Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.
Anwar also provided further details on other forms of assistance, which include:
- RM9.3 million in early education subsidies
- RM17.63 million in higher education aid, benefiting 840 Indian students
- RM2.99 million in laptop assistance for Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT), involving 5,000 laptops distributed in stages
The Prime Minister stressed that claims suggesting the government is neglecting the Indian community or delaying MITRA allocations are “not true.”
Anwar further explained that, starting 2025, the government will adopt a different approach by ensuring better coordination between MITRA and other ministries when distributing aid.
“For instance, if the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) allocates RM20 million for Indian housing projects, MITRA will provide an additional RM5 million to cover shortfalls,” he explained.
He added that:
- RM5 million will be allocated for ICT laboratory equipment in 50 SJKT schools, jointly funded by the Ministry of Education and MITRA.
- RM20 million has been allocated to 200 Hindu places of worship and Local Community Centres nationwide.
- An additional RM10 million has been set aside through the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU JPM) for minor repairs and maintenance of Indian estate workers’ homes.
On the issue of poverty, Anwar emphasised the government’s commitment to eradicating hardcore poverty among all communities under the MADANI Economic Framework, which focuses on inclusivity and equal opportunity.
“The number of poor among Malays is naturally higher because they form the majority of the country’s population, but within the Indian community, there are groups who are among the poorest. These are the people we aim to assist through centralised programmes,” he said.
Anwar was responding to a question from S. Kesavan (PH–Sungai Siput) regarding MITRA’s role in improving the socio-economic status of the Indian community and a supplementary question from V. Ganabatirau (PH–Klang) on poverty eradication strategies in the 13th Malaysia Plan.
Source / Image Credit : Bernama