Mitra Now Comes Under Pm S Dept Says Ismail Sabri

---

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said today the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) will now be placed under the Prime Minister’s Department.
He also revealed the establishment of Yayasan Mitra to protect the welfare of the Indian community.
“As requested by MIC president SA Vigneswaran, I would like to announce that Mitra is now placed under the administration of the Prime Minister’s Department and I have approved the establishment of Yayasan Mitra to look after the welfare of the Indian community in this country," he said.
Ismail Sabri made this announcement at the launch of MIC’s national brigade at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, following Vigneswaran’s proposal for Mitra to be placed under the Prime Minister’s Department to allow the agency to execute its agenda clearly and effectively.
MIC president SA VigneswaranUmno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, BN deputy chairperson Mohamad Hasan, Vigneswaran, his deputy M Saravanan, as well as other MIC top leaders attended the launch.
Mitra, launched in 2013 by former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, was initially known as the Socioeconomic Development of the Indian Community Unit (Sedic).
It was originally launched with the aim to increase the earnings of low-income groups in the Indian community.
Sedic was disbanded when the BN government fell after the 14th general election and later revived as Mitra under the Pakatan Harapan administration.
After the Harapan government dissolved, Mitra was placed under the Unity Ministry.
The Mitra fund issue came under the spotlight recently following the arrest of several of the company’s directors who were suspected of being involved in embezzling its allocated grant.
A total of 337 companies, organisations and NGOs were identified as having received grants from Mitra between 2019 and 2021 for an approximate total of RM203 million. - Mkini

---