PETALING JAYA: The Selangor government will be setting up a council to coordinate socio-economic efforts targeted at the Indian community and Indian-based businesses in the state.
Klang MP Charles Santiago said this was among several of the state government’s commitments to the community announced by menteri besar Amirudin Shari at a workshop on Sunday.
The state will also be supporting B40 students at the SJKT Ladang Midlands hostel, which will embark on capacity-building programmes over the next few months and be able to hold up to 100 students by next year.
Santiago said Selangor will consider increasing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for Indian children from the B40 to reduce dropouts and give them an alternative career path with high-income potential.
“In 2017, the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB) revealed the depressing socio-economic conditions of Malaysian Indians. The Covid-19 pandemic, December 2021 floods and current price increases have further impacted Indian B40 families,” he said in a statement.
“We are pleased that the menteri besar is on board because shaping the new Indian narrative should be premised on a public-public partnership, where people and governments work together in enabling the community.
“It’s about time we take the Indian community seriously through the inclusion of their concerns in development and poverty-reduction processes.”
The DAP MP also called on Selangor and Putrajaya to commit to alleviating poverty by specifically targeting 10,000 individuals from the community in the state and 50,000 nationwide, as a start.
