An action plan to champion the cause of the Indian community in Malaysia, which will be launched on Sunday, will in essence outline four aspects to improve the living standards of the community, especially the problems of 40 percent of households (B-40 category) in the next 10 years from now.

MIC president S Subramaniam said the four aspects are to identify the basic problems, realising the potential of every child, improving livelihood and wealth, and social issues.

In a media briefing in Putrajaya yesterday, he said the comprehensive master plan, the brainchild of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, was the first action plan for Indians covering basic needs such as education, entrepreneurship, housing, employment, documentation, trade and social development.

"The implementation of this plan is under the 11th Malaysia Plan in which the government gives priority to the Malaysian Indian community, and provides various programmes to cater to their needs," he said.

Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, explained that a special unit known as the Unit for the Socio-Economic Development of the Indian Community, under the Prime Minister's Department, will be solely responsible for monitoring and implementing the plan, which will be staffed by civil servants as executors to record the success of the main essence of the plan every year.

- Bernama