'Shocked' MIPP on Mitra laptops: Is 31pct feedback a success?

Summary

• The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) courts flak over the figures cited to defend the distribution of refurbished laptops to Tamil schools.

• Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) deputy president S Subramaniam says he is ‘shocked’ by 31 percent response.

The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) has come under fire for claiming that feedback from 161 Tamil schools showed its refurbished laptop distribution programme had positively impacted students’ Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) deputy president S Subramaniam challenged the credibility of this claim, pointing out that only 31 percent of the schools responded.

He questioned how Mitra, a unit under the Prime Minister’s Department, could deem the initiative a success based on such limited feedback.

“I’m shocked by Mitra’s statement. How can 31 percent feedback be considered a success?

“Why didn’t Mitra follow up with the remaining 59 percent of schools that didn’t provide any feedback? Even for the 31 percent, we don’t know whether the schools were pressured or otherwise.

“This is why I challenged the prime minister to investigate the effectiveness of this programme,” he told Malaysiakini.

Mitra’s denial

Previously, Mitra had denied Subramaniam’s allegation that not a single school was using the refurbished laptops distributed under the RM3.26 million programme.

Mitra’s special task force committee stated that their survey found the programme had a positive impact on school administrators and teachers.

Committee chairperson P Prabakaran said the programme’s effectiveness study was conducted from Aug 22 to Sept 27, 2024, with survey forms distributed to all 520 Tamil national-type schools (SJKT).

“A total of 161 schools, which is 31 percent of the 520, provided feedback. Based on the survey results, 90 percent of these schools said the laptops helped students in the VLE.

“Overall, the impact survey also found the programme had a positive effect according to school administrators and teachers,” the Batu MP said.

Mysterious programme

Mitra’s statement came after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was challenged to establish an independent committee to investigate the refurbished laptop assistance programme under Mitra.

Subramaniam also issued a similar challenge to Prabakaran, who had only recently been appointed as Mitra chairperson.

The MIPP leader said the programme, launched in November 2023, still remains a “mystery”.

He added that the laptops supplied by Mitra could not support the school’s learning systems.

A Malaysiakini check with more than 10 schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, and Johor previously confirmed that the laptops received could not be used.

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