KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) has been officially placed under the Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma), effective immediately. The decision, which aligns with the recent Cabinet resolution, will be formalised with the completion of the transfer process within the next week.
Originally established in 2008 as a special unit for the Socio-Economic Development of the Indian Community (Sedic), Mitra was rebranded in 2018 and placed under the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM). With the recent restructuring, Mitra’s role and oversight will now fall under Kesuma, local media reported.
In announcing the development, Human Resources Minister, Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, explained that while Mitra was previously under JPM, the oversight and monitoring were managed by Indian community MPs or deputy ministers.
“Whenever issues related to Mitra arose, they were addressed by the Indian ministers or deputy ministers. For example, previously, all parliamentary questions or concerns were answered by me when I was the deputy minister. Therefore, it’s not a significant issue if Mitra is moved to Kesuma or elsewhere,” said Ramanan during a press conference following the signing ceremony for the Dharma Madani Kesuma programme at Perkeso Tower.
Ramanan described the move as a significant responsibility and acknowledged that it could lead to potential conflicts if those tasked with overseeing Mitra fail to adhere to proper governance protocols. He assured, however, that all programmes under Mitra would be executed with strict adherence to the governance framework and guidelines.
Additionally, he emphasized that all Mitra initiatives would be publicly announced on its official website to ensure stakeholders are informed, including the publication of lists of grant recipients for transparency.
“We have directed the Corporate Communications Unit (UKK) to publicise all related efforts across mass media,” Ramanan added.
In the first phase of the Dharma Madani Programme, RM3.1 million has been allocated to support 155 Hindu temples nationwide. Each temple will receive a financial grant of RM20,000 to aid in their development, as part of the government’s ongoing commitment to empower religious institutions within the Indian community.
The programme, which was initially announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in August 2025, is designed to bolster the role of Hindu temples as key pillars of community strength.
“Today, I had the privilege of presenting approval letters for the first phase of the programme to temple representatives during the ‘Meeting with Indian Community Leaders’ at Perkeso Tower,” said Ramanan.
The financial support is part of the government’s broader initiative to strengthen community cohesion, with the Dharma Madani Programme aiming to enhance religious institutions as a “Vaganam” — a Tamil term for a medium or tool that carries support — for community empowerment.
The list of temple recipients will be periodically updated on Mitra’s official website, www.mitra.gov.my
. The restructuring under Kesuma is expected to streamline the planning, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives, ensuring a more coordinated and effective approach in line with the government’s human capital development goals under the Madani Government. – January 27, 2026