MIC manifesto's four main pillars ensures well-being of Indian community
KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama)-- MIC President Datuk Seri Dr. S.Subramaniam today launched the MIC Manifesto for the 14th General Election (GE14), detailing efforts to improve the socio-economic status and transform the Indian community, especially those in the B40 lower income group within the next five to 10 years.
The manifesto, the first by the party, contained four main pillars with 22 pledges in line with the implementation of the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB).
Following is the full text of the MIC manifesto for GE14:
Pillar A: Fulfilling basic needs and providing affordable homes for the Indian community.
* By increasing participation in the MyDeposit programme and increasing home ownership through schemes such as the 1Malaysia Civil Servants Housing (PPA1M), Housing Loan Scheme (SPP), MyFirstHome, People's Housing Project (PPR), 1Malaysia Transit Homes, 1Malaysia People's Housing (PR1MA), Federal Territories Housing (Rumah WIP), and the Special Loan Scheme for the B40 group.
* To ensure all B40 Indian households below the poverty line are registered in the e-Kasih database.
* Food Assistance Programme under MyKasih to improve access of hardcore poor families to essential food items every month.
* Women empowerment programmes, especially for single mothers, as continuation of the programme funded by the Socio-Economic Development of Indian Community (Sedic) Unit.
* Ensuring a holistic transformation and implementing Indian family rehabilitation programmes for troubled families, especially in areas with high density of Indians.
Pillar B: Is to realise the potential of each Malaysian Indian child
* Free preschool education for Indian children within five years.
* Maintaining Tamil education and continuing modernisation of all Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKTs) in Malaysia.
* Ensuring higher education opportunities for qualified Malaysian Indian students and increasing the intake of Indian students in public institutions of higher learning (IPTAs) by at least seven per cent.
* Increase the number of places for matriculation programme from 1,500 to 2,200 for Indian Malaysian students.
* Increase the participation of at-risk youths and school dropouts in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.
Pillar C: Increase income and wealth of the community.
* To introduce the Capacity Development Programme to train 45,000 Indian entrepreneurs, including single mothers and people from the B40 group.
* Training in the digital and e-entrepreneur sectors that will benefit 2,500 Indian entrepreneurs and provide training in the agricultural sector to benefit 5,000 Indian entrepreneurs.
* To establish a cooperative bank to help Indian entrepreneurs to obtain funding for their business development.
* Ensure that at least 10 per cent of Indian-owned companies are involved in the Vendor Development Programme under Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance.
* 1.5 billion additional units under Amanah Saham 1Malaysia was launched in January 2018 to encourage Malaysian Indians to invest in this unit trust fund, up to a maximum limit of 30,000 units per investor. An interest-free loan scheme of RM5,000 was given to encourage investment in AS1M by 100,000 eligible B40 families.
* Increase the intake of Indians in the civil service to at least seven per cent and seven per cent in GLCs. Efforts are being taken to work with relevant agencies to recruit more Indians into key government agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police, National Registration Department, the Social Welfare Department and local authorities.
Pillar D: To increase social participation
* Transformation of temples into community centres to implement capacity building programmes for Indians in the B40 group. Fifty community centres will be opened.
* 25 Indian community halls will be built nationwide to cater to the needs of the community for various cultural and religious events.
* 25 crematoriums will be built nationwide in areas with a high density of Indians.
* To establish a half-way home in B40 residential areas to enhance the academic achievement and social involvement of the group
* Strive towards creating religious education for non-Muslims in the national curriculum at primary and secondary school levels.
-- BERNAMA
