This is why MITRA funds disbursement has been delayed

K PRAGALATH

The delay in the disbursement of Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) funds -RM21.25 million is because the amount was only meant for three programmes for socio-economic development, revealed Deputy Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan.

The three programmes are:

  1. Private kindergarten early education subsidy aid which amounts to RM10.514 million that is meant to benefit 4,700 children. It is meant to increase the access of early education to Indian children.
  2. Dialysis subsidy aid amounting to RM10 million that would benefit 2,000 dialysis patients. It serves as an intervention to assist kidney patients from the Indian community to receive periodic treatment.
  3. Indian community socioeconomic development program implementation impact study 2021-2023 amounting to RM736,952.50. The study is meant to evaluate the impact of past programmes as a basis for policy improvements and future programmes implementation.

Application for the first two programmes have been open since 26 June 2025 and the grants would be disbursed periodically to the applicants or relevant agencies.

The grant for the impact study would be channeled after an agreement is signed with University of Malaya.

Ramanan revealed the above in a parliamentary written reply to Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) who questioned the delay in disbursing allocations to MITRA since the unit had already received 1,332 applications since December 2024 and January this year.

In addition to that the Prime Minister’s Office announced 16 high impact programmes have been approved for the benefit of the Indians in three fields:-

  • Education and training
  • Spirituality and culture
  • Social wellbeing