KUALA LUMPUR: The slew of initiatives and programmes rolled out by the Government to elevate the Indian community's wellbeing shows their inclusiveness by the current administration, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the decision by the government to set-up a Special Cabinet committee for the Indian community's development also showed the instrumental role played by them in helping to transform the country into a developed and high-income nation.
"The people from the Indian community are very important in the administration under my leadership.
"They also play an important part in the country's development agenda," he said in his speech at the launching of the national-level MIC Brigade and crime prevention exhibition here today.
Present were MIC president Tan Sri S. A. Vigneswaran; his deputy Datuk Seri M. Saravanan who is also the Human Resources Minister; and other top party leaders.
Also present was Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, his deputy Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, as well as other senior leaders from the coalition.
Ismail Sabri assured that the Indian community would not be left behind in the programmes and initiatives implemented by the government to improve the socio-economic well-being of the people.
"Embracing the spirit of the Keluarga Malaysia administration, I would like to assure all of you that no one will be left behind," he said.
The government, he said, has also approved several allocations and initiatives to improve the wellbeing of the Indian community in the country.
Among them included RM100 million in allocation for MITRA to eradicate poverty and social development for the Indian community under the National Unity Ministry; RM100 million in allocation to carry out socio-economic development programmes for the Indian community and RM25 million in allocation to implement entrepreneur development scheme for the Indian community.
"In addition, the cabinet has approved the setting up of a special cabinet committee for the development of Indian community chaired by myself," he said.
On the MIC Brigade, Ismail Sabri hoped the unit could become a "tonic" that would help BN win big in the 15th General Election (GE15).
The Prime Minister also announced that the government had agreed to allocate RM2 million in financial assistance to help students from poor Indian families.
"Earlier, the MIC president (Tan Sri S.A Vigneswaran) had asked for the government to set aside RM2 million in the 2023 Budget to help from poor Indian families.
"Let me state here that there is no need to wait for the (tabling of the 2023) Budget.
"Today, I would like to announce the approval of the RM2 million (in financial help)," Ismail Sabri who is the Umno Vice-President, said in his speech.
He also announced that the government also agreed with the proposal by Vigneswaran for the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) to be placed under the Prime Ministers Department.
The unit is currently under the National Unity Ministry.