MITRA Returns to Prime Minister's Department

The Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (MITRA) is set to return to the Prime Minister’s Department, announced Fahmi Fadzil, the Minister of Communications and government spokesperson. According to Fahmi, this resolution was reached during the Cabinet session took place yesterday. He mentioned that this decision was reached through a collaborative effort involving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang.

MITRA, the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit, is a government initiative aimed at uplifting and empowering the Indian community in Malaysia. Established to address the socio-economic challenges faced by Malaysian Indians, MITRA focuses on various areas such as education, economic opportunities, social welfare, and cultural preservation.

In December of last year, the unit was transferred to the National Unity Ministry. Formerly known as the Socioeconomic Development of the Indian Community Unit or SEDIC, it had previously operated under the Prime Minister’s Department. In 2018, it was rebranded as MITRA and relocated under the National Unity Ministry. However, during the Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob administration in September 2022, MITRA was returned to the purview of the Prime Minister’s Department. Yet, last year December, Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar announced MITRA’s reassignment back to the National Unity Ministry, affirming his commitment to overseeing the unit’s operations closely.

The National Unity Ministry faced criticism following its assumption of management responsibilities for MITRA, with three Indian organizations urging Aaron to resign. This came after reports surfaced suggesting that the minister had expressed uncertainty about the objectives of MITRA. Aaron refuted claims that MITRA’s funding was overseen by Pemandu, the Performance Management and Delivery Unit within the Prime Minister’s Department. He clarified that Pemandu’s role solely involved organizing workshops and labs aimed at aiding MITRA in its strategic planning process and blueprint development.

Source: Free Malaysia Today