KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has expressed its disappointment over the recent decision to return the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) to the Ministry of National Unity, after it was previously placed under the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM).
National MIC Information Chief, Thinalan Rajagopalu, said the party was not consulted prior to the move and stressed that no discussions were held with MIC leadership before the decision was made.
Thinalan pointed out that the previous relocation of MITRA to the Prime Minister’s Department during the administration of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob was a deliberate effort to streamline the allocation of funds and empowerment programs to the Indian community without political interference.
“MITRA should remain under the purview of the Prime Minister to ensure inclusive benefits for the Indian community, free from political pressure or administrative bottlenecks,” he said in a statement today.
“For the record, MIC was not involved in any consultations or negotiations prior to this transfer, which appeared to only involve leaders from Pakatan Harapan. No proper review was conducted to assess the implications of the change.”
Despite the criticism, Thinalan clarified that the party did not question the Prime Minister’s commitment to Indian community welfare, acknowledging that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated his personal commitment to monitor the agency closely.
MITRA, established more than a decade ago, was originally envisioned to tackle the socio-economic challenges faced by the Indian community in Malaysia. However, its journey has been riddled with setbacks, including mismanagement, lack of direction, and even corruption scandals involving several political figures and NGOs.
These shortcomings had previously turned MITRA into a rallying point for opposition parties, who used its inefficiencies to call for reforms and more transparent oversight.
In 2022, under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri, MIC President Tan Sri SA Vigneswaran successfully lobbied for MITRA to be returned to JPM, citing the need for more direct control to ensure effective utilization of the RM100 million annual allocation.
Now, with MITRA back under the Ministry of National Unity, MIC has called for greater transparency and engagement to prevent a repeat of past mistakes.
“Decisions like this should not be made in silos. If the aim is truly to uplift the Indian community, stakeholders including MIC, must be part of the conversation,” Thinalan added.
The future effectiveness of MITRA remains under scrutiny as the government seeks to rebuild trust in the agency while navigating the complex realities of community-based policymaking. -MalayaDailyToday
