MIC president Samy Vellu said today that the government has instituted many social reforms and programmes for the Indian community.

The programmes were particularly glaring in the field of education and business development, through the allocation of special grants and skills training, Bernama quoted him as saying..

Samy said the MIC had made many recommendations on social, education and economic positions of the Indian community to the government which have been included in the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"There are clear policies and programmes for the development of Indians," he said when opening the Business Development Seminar for Malaysian Indian Micro and Small Businesses organised by MIC in Petaling Jaya this morning.

The works minister said the government provided entrepreneurial training programmes through the National Entrepreneurship Institute by providing funds and opportunities for micro business training.

He said Indian youths have also been provided with skills and industrial training opportunities through Mara activity centres and industrial training institutes such as the Arumugam Pillai Institute in Penang and youth skills training institutes.

Access to business loans

The government also provides Indian youths currently enrolled in Mara activity centres, industrial training institutes and youth skills training institutes with entrepreneurship training programmes, he said.

"The government is making a pilot provision of RM3 million for micro business loans for Indian youths through the Tekun Foundation. This is open to only applicants who have completed a course conducted by the National Vocational Training Council," Samy added.

The minister also said the MIC Economic Bureau has been holding discussions with Bank Negara and other commercial banks for access to business loans.

He said the MIC has been very active over the past few years, especially in securing micro business loans through the Bank Simpanan Nasional programmes, for 2,000 borrowers directly and another 2,000 through other business associations.

"What is critical for the Malaysian Indian community is for them to know of these provisions, know the requirements and aggressively go forward in accessing them.

"Assistance will not come looking for us, we have to actively seek for it and secure it," he said.