KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the most suitable person to lead the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra), said Malaysian Advancement Party president P. Waytha Moorthy.
According to the NST, Waytha said this is because the PKR president has been leading a party of which about 40% of its members comprise Indians.
“The prime minister has on many occasions committed himself to help all races and openly admitted that Indians are the most marginalised community in Malaysia.
“I am hopeful and am placing my trust in the prime minister to lead the way and show that issues pertaining to minorities are best addressed by the majority,” said Waytha in a statement, as quoted by the daily.
Waytha is also a former unity minister under former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s administration prior to the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020.
Purview over Mitra, an agency tasked with distributing grants to help the Indian community, has been transferred from the National Unity Ministry to the Prime Minister’s Office following a MIC request.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been investigating allegations that funds allocated to Mitra have been misappropriated.
Last October, the MACC arrested 16 company directors, and in February the commission handed over 10 related cases involving the scandal to the deputy public prosecutor for further action.
On February 18, a company director was charged with making false claims to Mitra worth RM276,625.
Previously, Anwar had demanded that investigations be conducted into Maika Holdings, Maju Institute of Education Development and Mitra.
Anwar said a forensic audit must be conducted on these entities, which were accused of mishandling millions of ringgit meant for the Indian community, in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In his statement, Waytha also hoped that Anwar would uphold his promises to uplift the Indian community.
“Indians are now hopeful and look forward to a permanent and comprehensive solution to their problems,” he said. – The Vibes, December 15, 2022
