Mitra programmes boost income for 52pc of Indian community entrepreneurs, improve job prospects for 77pc

The ministry said Mitra remained committed to driving the overall socioeconomic development of the Indian community through initiatives focused on the education continuum and economic empowerment, particularly for the B40 and M40 income groups, in line with the Malaysia Madani aspirations. — Picture from X/Bernama

First Published: Wednesday, 04 Nov 2026 11:16 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Some 52 per cent of participants in entrepreneurship programmes under the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) reported an increase in income, while 77 per cent of participants in the Economic Cluster programme said their employment prospects had improved after taking part in the initiatives.

The Human Resources Ministry (Kesuma) said the findings were based on an Impact Study on the Implementation of the Indian Community Socioeconomic Development Programme (PPSMI) for the 2021-2023 period, conducted by Universiti Malaya (UM), involving 2,100 respondents across 135 programmes.

“The impact study confirmed that Mitra funding had a significant positive impact across all four dimensions of socioeconomic development, namely income, employment, entrepreneurship and education,” it said in a written reply posted on the Parliament website.

The ministry was responding to a question from S. Kesavan (PH-Sungai Siput) on the effectiveness of Mitra funding in improving the socioeconomic status of the Indian community, based on actual data such as increased income among beneficiaries, job opportunities created, the number of entrepreneurs whose businesses had expanded and the number of students who had successfully pursued higher education.

Apart from the increase in income, Kesuma said 46 per cent of respondents also reported an improvement in their overall household financial stability.

In terms of entrepreneurship, 52 per cent of respondents in the Economic Cluster reported improved business skills, while 30 per cent recorded growth in their businesses or entrepreneurial activities.

In the education sector, cash assistance for students at institutions of higher learning (IPT) recorded a highly effective impact, with mean scores ranging from 4.48 to 4.64 out of five.

Meanwhile, 85 per cent of participants in academic mentoring programmes reported improved academic performance.

The ministry said Mitra remained committed to driving the overall socioeconomic development of the Indian community through initiatives focused on the education continuum and economic empowerment, particularly for the B40 and M40 income groups, in line with the Malaysia Madani aspirations.

For 2026, the government would continue to strengthen this commitment through more targeted initiatives, including the Celik MADANI, Kalvi Madani and Peranti Madani programmes, as well as the Uyarvu Madani programme. — Bernama