KUALA LUMPUR - Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar has refuted claims that the Indian community has not been given any specific allocations in Budget 2024 compared to previous national budgets.
The sole Indian minister in the Cabinet said the Unity Government has never neglected the welfare of the Indian community and has continued to introduce various special initiatives in the budget presented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 13.
He said RM100 million had been allocated to the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra), in addition to RM30 million through the National Entrepreneurial Group Economic Fund (Tekun) for the Indian Micro Entrepreneur Financing Scheme.
"The government has also allocated RM50 million as financial aid for the management of registered non-Islamic places of worship for repair and maintenance work,” he said in a Deepavali reception organised by DAP leaders for the Tamil media here today.
On specific allocations to Tamil National-Type Schools (SJKT), Sivakumar said almost RM50 million has been allocated to these schools this year, including RM20 million for maintenance, while 152 SJKTs received RM70,000 each for toilet maintenance to ensure students' comfort.
He said the Indian community has also benefited from the allocations provided in various sectors, including health and education.
Several Tamil newspapers had previously reported that there were no specific allocations for the Indian community in Budget 2024, including for SJKT schools.
Also present at the event were Deputy Communications and Digital Economy Minister Teo Nie Ching, Deputy Education Minister Lim Hui Ling and DAP vice-chairman M. Kulasegaran. - BERNAMA