PUTRAJAYA, May 2 – The MADANI government has never sidelined the Indian community in the country.
In fact, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said various initiatives have always been implemented to empower this community.
“Our approach is to assist the Bumiputera, but this does not mean it’s a zero-sum game. Helping the Malays doesn’t mean we sideline other groups. That’s why I always stress to the Indian community not to be angry or jealous about Bumiputera programmes.
“Ask what needs to be done; citizenship for those who are eligible? Those who have been left behind? Those born in Malaysia 50, or 60 years ago but didn’t get citizenship? We have resolved all that, and this is the first time we see so much have been resolved by the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
Anwar said this in the ‘Soal Jawab Perdana Menteri’ programme with four local television channels on Wednesday night.
Anwar said that that among the special assistance given to the Indian community was an allocation of RM100 million for the implementation of socio-economic development programmes through the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA), and another RM30 million channelled under the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (TEKUN) in the 2024 Budget.
The allocation through MITRA is for educational programmes; skills training; financial assistance to cover tuition fees for university students from B40 Indian families; and career development programmes for Indian entrepreneurs, including in agriculture, micro, and gig economy sectors.
Anwar said those who claimed that the government did not help the Indian community were the rich who were disappointed with their own party and try to influence the Indians to hate the government.
“Don’t say that they have received nothing. If compared to previous years, this is the most we have given to the Bumiputera. This is also the most we have given to the Indian community and also to Sabah and Sarawak in line with the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63), and even to the Chinese community through small and medium enterprises (SMEs) amounting to tens of billions of ringgit,” he said.
