KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the ideal person to head the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).
Malaysian Advancement Party president P. Waytha Moorthy said Anwar, who is also PKR president, led a party in which about 40 per cent of its members are Indians.
"The prime minister has, on many occasions, committed himself to helping all races and openly admitted that the Indians are the most marginalised community in Malaysia.
"I am hopeful and place my trust in the prime minister to take the lead in showing that the issues of the minority are best protected by the majority," he said in a statement today.
Mitra, aimed at addressing the socio-economic development of the Indian community in Malaysia, was placed under the supervision of the Prime Minister's Department in September following a request by MIC.
The unit was previously under the jurisdiction of the National Unity Ministry.
Last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigated Mitra over allegations of misappropriation of funds from 2019 to 2021.
Previously, Anwar had called for forensic audits to be conducted on Mitra, as well as on MIC's education arm Maju Institute of Educational Development and the party's investment company Maika Holdings.
Anwar had claimed that these three organisations had misappropriated government funds meant for the Indian community.
Waytha also expressed hope that Anwar would revisit all the commitments made to the Indian community in Pakatan Harapan's manifesto for the 14th General Election in 2018, especially the RM100 million allocation to increase the equity, education and employment prospects of Indians.
"Indians are now hopeful and looking forward to a permanent and comprehensive solution to their problems."