KLANG Member of Parliament (MP) Charles Santiago has taken to social media to highlight the plight of 500 Indian teachers working in 200 pre-schools across the country who were owed thousands of ringgit.
This is after MIC President Tan Sri Vigneswaran Sanasee previously mentioning that National Unity Minister Datuk Halimah Sadique had promised that the teachers would receive their ten-month salary before Diwali, which is only two days away, Santiago added.
“This shows total complacency especially when the salary would enable the teachers to make the necessary preparations to celebrate the festival,” he further remarked.
“These teachers conducted online classes throughout the pandemic from January 2021 in an initiative by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA) to uplift education among the Indian poor and supported by five non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
“In fact, some of the teachers had put out their own money to support these classes.”
According to Santiago, the five coordinating NGOs had already submitted all necessary documents to MITRA.
Led by the National Unity Ministry, MITRA is a special unit addressing the socio-economic needs of poor Indians but has courted controversy recently for a lack of transparency in its disbursement of funds.
“MITRA cannot undertake this hands-off approach just because Halimah has promised that funds would be disbursed before Diwali, which is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Indians.
“We need to know about the efforts taken to follow-up with the Unity Minister or her office.
“Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri also needs to instruct Halimah to make the payments urgently because after all, hasn’t he been trumpeting about his Keluarga Malaysia?
“And isn’t it an inclusive concept that cuts across religious, ethnic and racial boundaries and invites Malaysians to come together as a unified family?” – Nov 2, 2021
