MADANI GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES NEW INITIATIVE WORTH RM42 MLN FOR INDIAN COMMUNITY

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 (Bernama) -- This year's Deepavali celebration has been further enlivened by the announcement of several new initiatives totalling RM42.25 million for the Indian community, approved by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

Indian Community Initiatives Implementation Committee (JPIMI) chairman Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said that among the new initiatives are the free tuition programme called 'Kalvi MADANI,' laptops through Peranti Siswa, and school maintenance and repairs through the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA).

Ramanan, who is also the Deputy Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister, said that Kalvi MADANI will benefit students in 200 Tamil National Type Schools (SJKT) through an allocation of RM8 million, taking the approach of the MADANI Tuition Programme previously implemented in Kelantan and Terengganu.

bootstrap slideshow

Second, a total of 3,000 first-year students from institutions of higher learning (IPT) will receive new laptops by Dec 31 at the latest, through an allocation of RM7.95 million under the Peranti Siswa programme, with priority given to the B40 group.

Next, an allocation of RM12.8 million was provided to 173 SJKTs according to their needs for minor repairs, furniture purchases and other requirements. The list of schools will be identified by the Ministry of Education (MOE)," he said at a special press conference after the JPIMI meeting here today.

He explained that out of a total of 526 SJKTs, 173 of those schools are government schools that need to share the MOE’s allocation with all types of schools, while the remaining 363 SJKTs are government-aided schools, which receive more assistance.

bootstrap slideshow

Another new initiative announced today is the Eradication of Extreme Poverty Programme, involving RM3.5 million through Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).

This step will benefit 1,064 recipients who will receive RM300 or a maximum rate of RM1,750. The list of recipients will be obtained from eKasih," he said.

Ramanan said the government is also continuing the Early Entry Assistance for Higher Education Institutions 5.0 with an allocation of RM10 million for B40 students, with a contribution of RM2,000 for regular students and RM3,000 for students with disabilities.

He said applications must be submitted via the website https://mitra.gov.my starting on Friday (Oct 17) at 3 pm until Nov 17.

Meanwhile, he said applications for the programme to empower houses of worship as community and cultural centres, known as Dharma MADANI, which involves the previously announced allocation of RM20 million, must be submitted starting Friday at 3 pm until 3 pm on Nov 3 through www.perpaduan.gov.my.

The first phase involves an allocation of up to RM20,000 for 1,000 temples, with only 10 per cent of this amount usable for operational costs and equipment purchases, while the remainder is for cultural programmes such as religious classes, 'thevaram' and dance.

"If these 1,000 temples meet all the requirements and qualifications, submit performance reports to MITRA on time, all in a structured manner, (and) we will give them an opportunity in the second phase," he also said.

Ramanan hosted a luncheon for Tamil media practitioners in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration on Monday. The event was attended by Bernama chief executive officer Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.

-- BERNAMA