PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) will be placed back under the Ministry of National Unity, moved from the Prime Minister's Department (JPM), said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
However, the Prime Minister assured that he would continue to monitor the special unit responsible for addressing the socio-economic development issues of the Indian community in the country.
"As we know, MITRA had problems back then (2017). So, a year ago, we (the Unity Government) fixed it, where the programmes are more transparent, do not go to a political outfit (but) go right to the people, students, and so on.
"Therefore, the situation has improved; I can transfer it to the Ministry of Unity, but I still monitor it," he said at a dialogue session with editors-in-chief and senior editors of the electronic, print and online media here today.
The Prime Minister stressed that the Indian community need not worry about the administration of MITRA being placed under a different ministry because regulations have been established, allocations approved, and the unit is still subject to stringent conditions to prevent any abuse of power or misconduct.
The Socioeconomic Development of the Indian Community Unit (SEDIC) was renamed MITRA in 2018 and was initially under the Ministry of National Unity but was transferred to the oversight of JPM in September 2022.
Last Thursday, MITRA Special Committee chairman Datuk R. Ramanan said that the status of MITRA, whether it stays under the administration of JPM or otherwise, would be announced by the Prime Minister.
Regarding today's dialogue session, Anwar said that he touched on the diversity of current issues and government policies, which became the main topics of media reports, despite the challenges faced by the people and the nation that require media practitioners to narrate them.
He stated that the primary role played by media practitioners as the recorder of the nation's history cannot be denied at all, despite facing various challenges and life's difficulties.
"(The) Media is not a stranger in my life from the beginning as a politician until now as the Prime Minister.
"May media practitioners continue to be the eyes and ears of the government in ensuring that the people's and the nation's development agenda remains a priority," he said in a Facebook post tonight. -- BERNAMA