RM42.25 MLN IN NEW INITIATIVES REFLECT MADANI GOVT’S COMMITMENT TO INDIAN COMMUNITY - GOBIND

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Several new initiatives worth RM42.25 million introduced specifically for the benefit of the Indian community reflect the MADANI Government’s commitment to ensuring that every community enjoys equitable opportunities and progress in the nation’s development agenda.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said the initiatives aim not only to improve the socioeconomic status of the Indian community but also to enhance access to education and digital skills, ensuring that no community is left behind in the nation’s advancement.

“The government’s responsibility goes beyond formulating policies; it is to ensure that these policies are felt by every layer of society, including the Indian community across the country,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the 2025 MADANI Deepavali Open House held at the KL Sentral grounds here today.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil and other Cabinet members.

Gobind said the new initiatives include the ‘Kalvi MADANI’ free tuition programme, the provision of laptops under the Peranti Siswa initiative, and the maintenance and upgrading of schools under the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA).

“The Kalvi MADANI programme will benefit students at 200 Tamil National-Type Schools (SJKT) with an allocation of RM8 million, while the hardcore poverty eradication programme involving RM3.5 million will be implemented through Bank Simpanan Nasional,” he said.

He said the government also introduced the ‘Dharma MADANI’ programme to empower places of worship as community and cultural centres with an allocation of RM20 million, in addition to RM19.09 million announced under the MADANI Budget 2026 for maintenance works at SJKTs nationwide.

Gobind said the government is also looking into the development of ICT labs, computer rooms and Tamil-English bilingual libraries in selected SJKTs to nurture a digitally literate generation prepared for the modern world.

“The government aims to digitalise services, build digital trust, protect the people’s data and strengthen cybersecurity. Each of these efforts shares the same goal, that technological progress must go hand in hand with human values, responsibility and shared prosperity,” he said.

He stressed that the MADANI Government remains committed to ensuring no community is left behind in the digital transformation, noting that the Indian community is an integral part of the nation’s history and an important partner in the national development agenda.

Last Thursday, Anwar announced that the government had introduced new initiatives worth RM42.25 million for the Indian community, including free tuition programmes and laptop distribution under the Peranti Siswa initiative.

Themed ‘Cahaya MADANI, Sinar Perpaduan’, the event was organised by the Digital Ministry with the support of the Ministry of National Unity and attended by over 5,000 visitors from various communities.

-- BERNAMA