Special Officer to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Shanmugam Mookan, has shared a summary of various government initiatives introduced for the Malaysian Indian community over the past three years, encouraging the public to assess the government’s efforts from a broader perspective.
In a Facebook post, Shanmugam said discussions surrounding the government’s performance often focus heavily on the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA), while overlooking initiatives carried out through other ministries and agencies. He stressed that support for the Indian community extends beyond a single agency and includes investments in education, entrepreneurship, Tamil language development, community infrastructure and temple maintenance.
Referring to the phrase, “Change takes time,” from the recent Tamil film Jana Nayagan, Shanmugam said nation-building is a long-term process and that new policies require time before their full impact can be seen.
According to the information shared by Shanmugam, the initiatives introduced over the past three years include:
Main Allocations
- MITRA: RM450 million allocated to support socio-economic development programmes for the Malaysian Indian community.
- Malaysian Indian Education Development (MIED): RM101 million allocated for education-related initiatives.
- Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT): RM46.5 million allocated for the maintenance and upgrading of 344 Hindu temples nationwide.
Education (Estimated Total Allocation: RM182 Million)
- RM30 million allocated for additional buildings at six Tamil schools (SJKT).
- Approximately RM130 million allocated for the redevelopment of Tamil schools between 2023 and 2026.
- RM22 million allocated to TAFE College from 2024 to 2026.
Community Infrastructure
- RM20 million allocated for the development and upgrading of Indian crematorium facilities.
Tamil Language Development - RM1 million allocated for the Tamil Language Conference.
- RM2 million allocated to the University of Malaya’s Tamil Research Department.
- RM2 million allocated for Tamil school learning tools and educational resources.
Support for Indian Entrepreneurs (Total Allocation: RM555.6 Million)
- PENN: RM100 million allocated from 2024 to 2025.
- SPUMI (TEKUN Nasional): RM271.6 million allocated between 2023 and 2026.
- BRIEF-i (Bank Rakyat): RM100 million allocated from 2024 to 2026.
- SME Bank Vendor Financing Scheme (VFS): RM50 million allocated to support business financing.
- MISI/Vetri MADANI: RM34 million allocated from 2024 to 2026 for entrepreneurship and economic empowerment initiatives.
Shanmugam concluded his post by encouraging the public to evaluate the government’s progress by looking at the broader range of initiatives introduced for the Indian community rather than focusing solely on one programme. He said a balanced assessment should consider both completed measures and ongoing efforts, while recognising that long-term policies require time before their full impact can be realised.
Source: Shanmugam Mookan Facebook, Vanakkam Malaysia
