KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12: Member of Parliament for Klang, Ganabatirau Veraman today raised several issues affecting the Indian community, including the failure of the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) to effectively carry out its role in raising the socio economic status of the community, and recommended a higher allocation of funds for the non-Bumiputeras in the country under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13).
Presenting his debate on the 13th Malaysia Plan at Dewan Rakyat today, Ganabatirau said the RMK13 which should ensure progress for all the citizens of the country including the minorities, had little focus on specific plans or targets for the progress of the minorities in the country.
While acknowledging that the government was taking positive measures with its focus on TVET and microentrepreneurs, he said the reality on ground was that the poverty level of the Indian community was much higher than the country’s national average.
The Orang Asli continue to lag in education and health facilities while the smaller communities are not even represented in the national data, he said.
While there were special units like SEDIC, CCIC, MyDaftar, as well as clear allocations for Tamil schools in the past, the RMK13 has not indicated any such target mechanisms so far, he said.
Mitra, which was supposed to be the backbone of development for the Indian community, on the other hand has yet to function properly, Ganabatirau said, adding that he was also deliberately left out from contributing towards Mitra for having spoken on several matters.
The funds have been channelled but they not reached those who need it, there has been no strategic 5-year plan in line with RMK13, while there has been constant change in management and an increase in bureaucracy.
He said Mitra has been reduced to an “emergency funding body”.
He said amid such problems, there was a need to restructure Mitra with the involvement of the civil society and independent professionals.
He said its annual audits must be presented at the Parliament while clear targets must be set in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, skills and social assistance.
Ganabatirau also sought a special allocation of 20 percent from the development budget in the plan for the minorities, and this should be done with transparency and must be audited.
There must be more to represent the minorities in the RMK13 implementation committees as well, he said.
— WE