MIC proposes Mitra be returned to PM's Dept

KUALA LUMPUR: The MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) has proposed that the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra), now placed under the Ministry of National Unity, be returned to the Prime Minister's Department.

MIC president Tan Sri S.A .Vigneswaran also suggested that Mitra restructure its functions and roles in line with the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju).

He also asked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to consider the proposal that the funds returned to the Treasury by Mitra to date, be returned to Mitra Foundation which will be set up and managed by civil servants.

"We agree that Mitra or SEDIC (Indian Community Socio-Economic Development Unit), before being rebranded, was facing various constraints in spending the RM100 million allocated annually within the stipulated time.

"As a result, we have had to return over RM400 million to date to the Ministry of Finance," he said when addressing the 75th MIC General Assembly at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), here, today.

He said although the government had allocated the special fund for transformation efforts for the Indian community, it was not used as Mitra could not comply with the existing financial procedures.

Meanwhile, Vigneswaran said the MIC called on the government to increase the number of kindergarten classes in Tamil schools where the pupils were also given breakfast and the teachers provided with teaching materials.

He said the matter had been agreed upon and started to be implemented by the last Barisan Nasional (BN) government but it was disrupted after the 14th General Election (GE14).

The MIC also proposed the re-establishment of the Indian Community Cabinet Special Committee in an effort to successfully implement the Indian Community Action Plan (MIB) so as to develop the Indian community in the country.

Ismail Sabri, who was present, also spoke at the assembly, which was attended by about 2,000 MIC delegates and its opening officiated by BN chairman, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

-- BERNAMA