PUTRAJAYA: Several officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will attend meetings conducted by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) as part of the unit's efforts to ensure no misappropriation of funds will take place, moving forward.
Mitra Special Committee chairman Datuk R. Ramanan said the decision was made to ensure the unit's funds are well utilised and to allow better transparency on the usage of funds.
"If we look at the situation, MACC will definitely take the necessary actions if there is a problem or mismanagement (of funds).
"(And) of course in order to better implement and better run Mitra in a more transparent manner and to make sure vetting processes (of funds) is more clear, officers from the MACC will attend our meeting.
"This is to ensure that no mismanagement (of funds) happens (moving forward) and I would like to thank Tan Sri Azam Baki for that," he said during a press conference at the unit's headquarters, today.
Ramanan, who is also the Sungai Buloh member of Parliament, said this when asked about the recommendations given by MACC on the needed improvements in managing their funds.
Present was Bukit Jelutong MP RSN Rayer, who is also Mitra committee member.
On Nov 7, Azam, who is MACC chief commissioner said the investigation involving misappropriation of funds from Mitra has concluded with all the people involved charged by the court.
Azam said the graftbuster has also advised the unit under the Prime Minister's Department on the needed improvements in managing their funds.
At the same time, Rayer said Mitra will also ensure that funds given to the unit will be utilised in a more open and detailed manner, adding that the details of funds recipients will also be known to identify the flow of the funds.
"Through conducted meetings, we will ensure that the funds are utilised in a more open, detailed manner with nothing hidden, including the funds given to the recipients.
"Hence, I am confident and believe that this (the effort) can be achieved and the perception towards Mitra will change.
"I am also confident that Mitra's goals and objectives to assist more Malaysians, particularly the Indian community, can be achieved under the leadership of the chairman and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim," he said.
In 2021, Mitra was investigated by the MACC over allegations that funds had been misappropriated from 2019 to 2021.
Graft investigators discovered weaknesses in the management of Mitra, a special government unit aimed to address the socio-economic development of the Indian community, specifically the B40 group.
A total of 337 companies, associations, and non-governmental organisations were identified to have been approved for Mitra grants from 2019 to 2021, with approximately RM203 million in allocations.
MACC opened 33 investigation papers into the misappropriation of the funds.