PARLIAMENT | UPDATED | A former minister and two ex-deputy ministers received funds that were supposed to be channelled to the Indian community, claimed Minister in the Prime Minister's Department P Waythamoorthy.

However, he did not name the three who allegedly obtained the funds from the Socio-Economic Development Unit for the Indian Community (Sedic).

"There is basis in the complaints that the allocation did not reach the targeted group during the BN administration," he told Dewan Rakyat during the question-and-answer session today.

"However, there was no allocation channeled to MIC," he added.

He was referring to the 2018 Auditor-General's Report that found millions of ringgit channelled by Sedic to hundreds of NGOs for the benefit of Indians, had been abused, including for personal benefit.

Sedic was an agency formed by the BN government to provide grants and aid to NGOs conducting programmes for the Indian community.

Sedic was later rebranded as the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) after Pakatan Harapan took power.

"There was wrongdoing in the distribution of funds, where part of the money was channeled directly to a former minister and two former deputy ministers," said Waythamoorthy.

"The matter is still under investigation by MACC," he added.

He said this after RSN Rayer (DAP-Jelutong) asked if part of the funds was given directly to MIC, instead of the targeted group.

"Will the ministry reveal the identity of these individuals, and was there a suggestion to lodge a report with the MACC? " he asked.

Following this, M Saravanan (BN-Tapah) interjected and slammed Rayer for making the accusation.

"I ask Jelutong (MP) to retract his remark on the funds given to MIC... how can the funds be given to a political party," said the MIC deputy president.