IPOH: Several additional allocations provided by the unity government specifically to improve the socio-economic status of the Indian community in the country are proof that the government does not neglect this group, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar said that the government had previously allocated RM100 million to the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) in addition to increasing several funds, such as RM50 million each to the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun Nasional) and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia for the Indian community.
"If the representatives of the Indian community speak to me (about welfare of the community), I will try to solve it.
"Look, some people say Mitra (has issues), but that's not true. Mitra alone (received) RM100 million.
"Tekun (for) small Indian traders, we added RM50 million, and previously Amanah Ikhtiar was for poor villagers, we helped everyone. Now, we also added RM50 million to Amanah Ikhtiar for the Indian community, so it's not true to say we don't care," he said at the "Santai Bersama Komuniti India Parlimen Tambun" programme here today.
Anwar, who is also Tambun member of Parliament, said that the steps taken by the government to assist the Indian community resulted from feedback and discussions with friends, state executive councillors, assemblymen, and representatives of the Indian community regarding the issues faced by the community.
He added that he has also asked the Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to provide opportunities for Indian children to participate in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), which began this year.
"I also told Petronas to give scholarships to the Indian community. Previously, it focused on the Malay community, which is okay... but now for the Indian community, training and staffing opportunities are available as well more than 1,000 scholarships have been provided.
"So if the (Indian) community leaders do not talk about this and only express anger, people will not sympathise. That's why I say complaints are okay, but don't say things like Anwar does not care at all. This is not true, see all that we have provided, and these are all new," he said.
The Prime Minister also said that he has asked Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek to train more Tamil language teachers so that students who wish to learn the language do not face any problems.
"Bahasa Kebangsaan (the national language) is Malay, but if Chinese children want to learn Chinese, we provide the opportunity. We don't lose anything; our country benefits if Malaysian children know Tamil, Chinese, and Arabic, which can be advantageous for the country," he said.