Govt gives RM11mil to Indian temples and NGOs

(The Star) – The Government has allocated RM11mil for the development of Indian religious institutions and NGOs in 10 states.

MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak approved the allocation following requests by the various temple committees and NGOs last January.

“We are currently going through another set of requests which should be approved by next month,” he said before presenting funds worth RM1.5mil to 78 Selangor-based institutions and NGOs in Batu Caves yesterday.

Recipient Pushpam Sinnathamby was grateful for the funds which would be used to construct a new Devi Sri Karumariamman temple building in Kampung Laksamana here.

Palanivel, also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had earlier urged the Education Ministry to create a separate division to undertake the development and construction of Tamil schools.

He said the Tamil schools could liaise directly with the division rather than bring it up to the attention of MIC.

“The division can set up a website to both receive and monitor the Tamil schools directly.

“The task of looking into their problem should not be a burden of MIC,” he said.

Palanivel said he was happy with the RM100mil allocation given to Tamil schools by Najib, and hoped his deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also the Education Minister, would have an annual dialogue with headmasters, parent-teacher associations and Tamil school board of governors.