KLANG, May 13 — Klang Member of Parliament Ganabatirau Veraman has welcomed the Madani Government’s announcement of an additional RM50 million allocation for the Indian community through the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA), but stressed that accountability and transparency must accompany the funding.

In a statement today, Ganabatirau said any sincere effort by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to uplift the socioeconomic standing of the Indian community deserved recognition and support.

However, he said elected representatives also had a responsibility to ensure public funds genuinely benefited the intended recipients.

Ganabatirau noted that several initiatives recently announced under the “Dharma Madani” banner, including student aid and laptop distribution programmes, appeared to be continuations of projects funded under last year’s RM100 million MITRA allocation.

“As such, the public has every right to know what exactly the newly announced RM50 million will be used for, what specific programmes are planned, the implementation timeline, and when the rakyat can expect to receive the benefits,” he said.

He stressed that transparency and accountability were essential if the Indian community was to progress in a meaningful and sustainable manner.

The Klang MP also revisited concerns he previously raised in Parliament regarding the distribution of second-hand or refurbished laptops to students under MITRA-linked initiatives.

“When we speak about bridging the digital divide and empowering students, they deserve quality support that genuinely helps them compete and succeed,” he said, adding that explanations previously provided on the issue were unsatisfactory.

Ganabatirau further questioned the effectiveness of certain programmes funded under MITRA, citing helicopter training initiatives that were heavily publicised but allegedly lacked visible outcomes or measurable success stories.

He urged that MITRA allocations be strategically channelled towards programmes capable of delivering long-term benefits to the Indian community, particularly in education, entrepreneurship, technical and digital skills, youth empowerment, women’s development, and socioeconomic mobility.

“These funds should never become tools merely for publicity, political popularity, or short-term vote-catching exercises,” he said.

Ganabatirau also stressed that constructive criticism should not be viewed as opposition to the government.

“In a healthy democracy, constructive criticism is not betrayal. It is responsibility,” he said.

He added that leaders within the government ecosystem must have the courage to support good initiatives while also highlighting weaknesses that require improvement.

“Our goal should not merely be to announce allocations. Our goal must be to ensure every ringgit reaches the people effectively and creates real transformation within the community,” he said.