KUALA LUMPUR: The Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) is only a consultant and is not hired to give periodic advice to the National Unity Ministry on any policies concerning the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra).

Deputy National Unity Minister K. Saraswathy said Pemandu's responsibility was only to outline Mitra's direction through surveys and studies.

"For example, a study is being conducted on the Indian Community Action Plan, where they have found that six strategies from the total of 23 are under Mitra's mandate.

"So a study is needed to determine Mitra's direction, to ensure that there are no leakages and so the people will receive the intended benefits under Mitra," she said during the debate on the Supply (Reallocation of Appropriated Expenditure) Bill 2024 for the Unity Ministry in Parliament today.

On March 13, the National Unity Ministry refuted claims that Pemandu had received an allocation from the government to conduct a workshop on Mitra.

Its minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang had told the Parliament that Pemandu, however, received a fee from the government to conduct a survey and workshop.

"That (the allegation) is not true. We (the government) asked Pemandu to conduct a survey and a workshop.

"They, in turn, ask for a fee which is less than RM500,000. This is a fee, not an allocation," he had said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/1030377/national-unity-ministry-clarifies-pemandus-role-advising-mitra-policies