Bantuan masyarakat India bukan sekadar Mitra, kata PM

Malaysia's government assistance to India's community is not solely aimed at Mitra, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated. The total financial support from the government extends to various initiatives, including direct financial contributions, business opportunities, improved school grades, and additional funding for religious institutions. Anwar clarified that the recent focus on Mitra is not the only aspect of the assistance.

He clarified that the Malaysian Social Development Fund (STR) exists, as does the Aid for Better Living (AIM) and the Talented People Scheme (Tekun). These resources have expanded to include other communities, with an additional RM150 million designated for India's entrepreneurs. A further RM50 million is earmarked for building new schools, such as SJKT Ladang Pamol in Kluang, alongside six others nearing completion.

Anwar also highlighted the escalating budget for government assistance, which surpassed the previous RM6 billion in 2018 (BR1M) and now stands at RM16 billion in 2024. This includes STR and SARA (Basic Assistance Rahmah) funds, which will benefit millions of low-income earners. The government has also announced an additional RM1.1 billion for Deepavali assistance, benefiting five million recipients across various communities, including 630,000 India nationals.

The government is also allocating RM80 million for mosque renovations and upkeep, including mosques nationwide.

Previously, a book authored by Janakey Raman Manickam alleged that India's community was being marginalized and denied support, despite significant financial allocations for Mitra. Anwar challenged this notion, particularly when many students struggled to pay tuition fees and entrepreneurs failed to secure business loans.