Paying Rm9 Monthly For Common Fund To Uplift Indians

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The fund, based on a similar set-up in Singapore, is meant to help all lower and middle-class Indians in education, business and economic upliftment.PETALING JAYA: A policy paper on a community fund for Malaysian Indians has been completed after six months of work and it will be submitted to the government for consideration, said an MP
Klang MP Charles Santiago said the fund, which is Malaysia’s version of the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) fund, is to help all lower and middle-class Indians in education, business, economic upliftment and places of worship
“The proposal, with input from Indian PH MPs, Indian NGOs and individuals, proposes a maximum contribution of RM9 monthly from every working Indian
“It is voluntary and aims to make the Indian community independent of state funds in every aspect in six to 10 years,” he told FMT
Klang MP Charles Santiago.Santiago added that the 50-page proposal recommended that the fund be part of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021 to 2025) to be used for children who are unable to raise funds for education, to get bank loans for small businesses, and to uplift the community
In Singapore, he said the Sinda fund, created in 1992, is also used for tuition classes and to treat psychological and communication problems among children
“They largely use it for education. When a child has problems, the centre will work towards resolving it,” he said
Santiago said the paper proposed that the fund for the social and economic welfare of the Indian community will be managed by a government department
“It would be up to the government which department it would want to park the fund under,” he added
He said the paper also proposed that the government provide a matching grant or contribute partly to the fund
Indians make up about 7% of the population. - FMT

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