DAP MP: Turn Mitra into federal statutory body

Klang MP V Ganabatirau has proposed turning the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) into a federal statutory body governed by a board, which in turn, would report to the prime minister.

According to the DAP leader, this would boost the unit's credibility and transparency of funds allocated to it, since an annual report on the matter must be presented to the cabinet, then Parliament.

"Mitra’s operations would be overseen by the board, comprising prominent Indian leaders.

"I hope the prime minister will consider my suggestion to ensure Mitra fulfils the objective of its establishment," Ganabatirau said in a statement today.

He was responding to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's recent announcement that Mitra will be moved from the Prime Minister's Department and return to the National Unity Ministry.

However, Anwar assured that he would continue to monitor the special unit responsible for addressing the socio-economic development issues of the Indian community.

The announcement has courted flak from Indian politicians and community leaders alike.

Plagued by problems

Elaborating, Ganabatirau said that Mitra, as well as its previous iteration Socioeconomic Development of the Indian Community Unit (Sedic), has been plagued with problems over the last few years.

"Mitra's direction and the effectiveness of programmes it provides with the annual RM100 million allocation are still blurry, and there are yet to be reforms in the Indian community's education and socio-economic levels.

"Among the problems that have plagued Mitra (and Sedic) include leakages, inefficiencies in programme management, as well as lack of transparency.

“It is for this reason that Mitra was placed under PMD, to ensure its transparency and effective running," Ganabatirau pointed out.

What about Teraju?

He questioned why similar agencies tasked with improving the socio-economic standing of other races, such as Teraju (Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit), were still parked under the direct purview of the prime minister.

"What's the difference between Teraju and Mitra, when both agencies are tasked with similar roles of uplifting the socio-economic status of respective races?

"Has the government parked Teraju under the Unity Ministry?" he asked.

Continuously putting Mitra under the National Unity Ministry would attract further backlash from the Indian community, Ganabatirau cautioned.

"The Indian community's support could be the decisive factor for the unity government's success. Let’s not ignore this."

Meanwhile, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli, in response to Malaysiakini's article, clarified that Teraju had also been transferred out of the PMD since last year.

"(Teraju) is an agency under the Economy Ministry. Anwar transferred Teraju to be under my ministry when the administration was set up in December 2022," he said on X (formerly known as Twitter).

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