Putra Jaya – Entrusted to transform the Indian community, the Socio-Economic Development Unit (SEDIC) under the Prime Minister’s department is embarking on a mission to engage with the community to seek their views in order to propel the community on 6 key areas.
“The Socio-Economic Development unit for the Indian Community (SEDIC) is encouraged with the feedback provided by stakeholders at its ‘three meet the stakeholder’ sessions, organised to gather feedback on issues faced by the Malaysian Indian community. The three stakeholder meetings organised as of to-date were on religion, education and employment” SEDIC said in a press statement released recently.
These stakeholder meetings would focus on 6 key areas including Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Youth & Social Well-being, Religious Matters and Identity & Inclusiveness.
The first session was the meeting with Hindu religious leaders on Oct 21, while subsequent session was held on Oct 27 with education stakeholders. The second session on education discussed issues relating to pre-school, primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational, special education and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training).
The third session with stakeholders was held on Oct 28 focusing on employment issues for Malaysian Indians encompassing job sectors, on job training, job opportunities, future jobs, remuneration, salary and employment discrimination. Employability outcome and future jobs were the main issues discussed by many NGO who attended this session.
“The ‘stakeholder meeting’ sessions has allowed SEDIC officials to meet grass root non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals to obtain various inputs concerning issues faced by Malaysian Indians. It has also been beneficial to gather feedback and find avenues to solve issues confronting the Malaysian Indian community over the years. Overall, participants at these meet the stakeholder sessions have been very enthusiastic and applauded SEDIC for such well-planned strategic engagement sessions with grass-root NGOs and subject matter experts” SEDIC’s statement further noted.
“This is also in line with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department YB Senator P Waytha Moorthy’s (pic) call that SEDIC engages the community before introducing remedial measures for the betterment of Malaysian Indians. We would like to state that SEDIC is undergoing a transformation process in order to be people-centric and more effective entity in aiding and assisting the Malaysian Indian community, more importantly those in the B40 category” the statement pointed out.
Noting that “SEDIC’s newly appointed Director-General Mr S. Letchumanan and Deputy Director General Mr M. Mahalingam along with the other directors are committed in carrying out their duties to their best of ability” the statement also invited stakeholders for the next sessions.
“SEDIC is now planning on the remaining sessions with stakeholder encompassing Youth and Social Well Being (17th Nov), Entrepreneurship (24th Nov), Religion and Spirituality (1st Dec) and lastly, Identity and Inclusiveness (8th Dec). SEDIC wish to request interested parties to register urgently in light of limited seats for each of above mentioned sessions” the statement concluded.
