Mitra to display fund recipients on website to clean up reputation

 

Ramanan (centre) chaired the first Mitra special committee meeting in Putrajaya on April 19, 2023. – Bernama

PUTRAJAYA: Recipients of Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) funds will now be displayed on its official website at www.mitra.gov.my as part of efforts to clean up its reputation and restore people's confidence, says Datuk Ramanan Ramakrishnan.

The Mitra special committee chairman said the move was approved during its first meeting on Wednesday (April 19).

Ramanan said all members of the task force,, comprising Datuk C. Sivaraj, Klang MP Ganabatirau Veraman, Segamat MP Yuneswaran Ramaraj and Mitra director-general Raveendran Nair, were appointed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and are committed to develop the Indian and Indian Muslim communities.

"Previously, people informed us that they did not know what was happening at Mitra.

"Moving forward, every fund recipient, even if it is RM1, RM10 or even one sen, we will display them on Mitra's website," he said after the meeting here.

Ramanan said Mitra would send a letter to the National Audit Department to conduct a thorough audit on Mitra before taking further action.

He said the special committee will also ensure that the RM100mil allocation for Mitra under Budget 2023 would be channelled transparently to help and empower the Indian and Indian Muslim communities who are facing hardship.

The committee will also invite officials from the Integrity Department and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to be involved in its meetings to rebuild public confidence, he said, adding that its focus is to restore Mitra's tarnished image and implement a restructuring.

Meanwhile, Ramanan encouraged non-governmental organisations to submit their grant applications as the closing date has been extended to May 28 from April 29.

Mitra has received 448 applications so far, he added. – Bernama