Is compassion in Madani present in Budget 2025? Ganabatirao questions

Backbencher V Ganabatirao (PH-Klang) questioned whether the spirit of compassion in the Malaysia Madani vision is present in the Budget 2025 due to the imbalance in allocation for the various communities in Malaysia, particularly the Indian community.

Compassion is one of the six values put forth in the Madani vision.

“I fully support the concept (Madani) but the implementation is waning and is far off from the reality. Is Budget 2025 a reflection of Madani?”

He pointed out that the budget was still based on race and religion in an imbalanced manner.

“In Budget 2025, the Bumiputera community was allocated over RM1 billion. Jakim alone received RM2 billion, the Orang Asli community received almost RM350 million.

“The Indians received an allocation of RM100 million under MITRA and TM30 million under Tekun. It is saddening that the Chinese were only allocated RM78 million.”

MITRA’s allocation stagnant for 9 years

He then pointed out the stagnant allocation for MITRA at RM100 million.

“Is it fair for the government to retain the allocation of RM100 million to MITRA for nine years without any increment? The Indian population’s needs and wants gave increased but the allocation for the socio-economic development of Indians is retained or became stagnant.

“The Indian community requested for the MITRA allocation to be raised to RM300 million. The raise up to RM300 is justified due to the lack of increment in the past nine years.”

Ganabatirao also called for a hike in the allocation for Tekun as there are many Indian entrepreneurs who are waiting for funding from Tekun.

“The Indian community has voiced out that the allocation needs to be raised to RM100 million.”

Not the lone voice

The DAP lawmaker also requested Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to reveal the data on the number of communities raised from poverty lines, especially since the Indians are the most affected by poverty issues.

Ganabatirao is not the first to raise caution on the allocation for the Indian community.

Last week, Syahredzan Johan (PH-Bangi) called upon the government to set up an education foundation with an annual allocation of RM100 million for Indians.

Senator C Sivaraj of MIC called for an allocation of RM200 million to empower the brightest minds among the Indian community.

Cha Kee Chin (PH-Rasah) also echoed Ganabatirao’s concerns.

“RM 100 million is not enough. RM100 million is not enough to assist the socio-economic growth of Indian community,” said Cha.

“I suggest at least RM300 million,” he added.

Â