GEORGE TOWN, Dec 24 — Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy today questioned the mechanism used in dispersing an allocation of RM100 million to the Indian community through the government’s Malaysian Indian Transformation Agency (Mitra).
The Penang DAP leader said there is a need for more transparency on how the funds were dispersed and the criteria in choosing recipients to receive the funds.
“There is a lack of mechanism on the distribution of the funds and no transparency on the criteria used to distribute the funds,” he said in a press conference at his office today.
He wanted to know why the funds were not directly given to those who were in need especially students, poor families who could not afford to buy food and pay for medical.
Ramasamy said the minister in charge, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department P. Waythamoorthy, had refused to explain how the funds were distributed.
“I had asked him a few months back about this and he merely brushed aside my queries by saying he was only answerable to the prime minister,” he said.
Ramasamy then referred to a parliamentary reply obtained by MP Datuk T. Mohan from the prime minister on the disbursement of the funds through Mitra which confirmed that a total RM99,375,199.20 allocation was approved to 206 applicants.
“The funds were disbursed to various organisations including bridal centres, fan clubs, car companies, spiritual organisations and many others that have no direct bearing on the development of poor and marginalised Indians,” he said.
He pointed out that one organisation was given two payments amounting to nearly RM10 million and some other dubious organisations offering un-recognised educational programmes were also receiving funds under Mitra.
“I can understand why some private organisations involved in community work, technical training, tuition centres and related centres were given the funds but I don’t understand why funds were allocated to so many religious organisations as funding is not a major problem,” he said.
He added that these religious organisations do not play a major role in the socio-economic development of Indians.
“The funds are meant to assist in the training and equipping youths with skills, addressing welfare problems and not about channelling funds to government or semi-government agencies that already have funding from other sources,” he said.
Ramasamy said there are many gaps in the distribution of funds under Mitra and asked that the government explain.
He said many in the Indian community are unhappy with how the funds were disbursed.
He stressed that he was not trying to attack a Pakatan Harapan (PH) minister but was merely seeking answers to how Mitra funds were being distributed.
He said it is a public issue that needed to be addressed so that the funds will only be channelled to deserving groups.
