Mitra’s annual RM100,000 allocation, where does it go? Mitra chairman explains…

K PRAGALATH

Annually the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) receives an allocation of RM100 million. How much of that is used to transform the community.

Mitra committee chairman P Prabakaran revealed that almost half of the allocation are re-allocated for commitments -welfare, dialysis, kindergartens for Tamil schools and university students.

Speaking at an event which was later uploaded on his TikTok account, he admitted that the amount is not sufficient to assist every single Indian in Malaysia.

“Mitra has RM100 million. With that amount we have to support 2.2 million population. Would RM100 million be enough?

“100 percent it is not enough. We cant help 2.2 million people. We can help less 5 percent of the population.

“Of the RM100 million, 40 to 50 million goes to commitments, for example subsidy for kindergarten, university students, dialysis treatment and welfare.

“Mitra should not be doing welfare. Mitra is a transformation unit. So are doing welfare? We have no choice.

“Allocation for dialysis patients from the Welfare Department and other NGOs are very limited.

“So our data indicated that we have helped over 1000 people annually. Each person gets RM10,000-RM12,000. They undergo for dialysis with that funds.

“Let’s say MITRA and decide not to conduct welfare activities, what would happen to the dialysis patients? They will die. I am saying it openly, they will die.

“Same goes to kindergartens – Tamil preschools. If you open kindergartens for children who would go to Tamil schools, we will provide funds.

“In 2023-2024, with the RM10 million that we gave, 10,000 students studied almost for free in kindergartens. What would happen if that is stopped?

“B40 families will stop sending their children to kindergartens. We are providing the children education opportunities and we stress to them to enroll in Tamil schools.

“These are the commitments that would take up RM40 million.

“Only the balance RM60 million is used to do quality projects.”