PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has proposed for those involved in the Malaysian Indian Community Transformation Unit (Mitra) scandal to be charged.

       MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the first 10 cases of alleged misappropriation of funds had been handed over to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

       “We are now waiting for the DPP to go through the evidence and investigation papers.

       “We hope it can be brought to court soon but I can assure you that investigations have been carried out,” he said on Tuesday (Feb 8).

       In October 2021, the MACC arrested 18 individuals involving 10 companies, associations and non-governmental organisations to assist investigations into the misappropriation of Mitra funds.

       Last month, the MACC carried out another round of arrests involving 22 individuals in seven states.

       Mitra is a special government unit set up to address the socio-economic development of the Indian community, specifically the B40 group.

       Mitra approved grant allocations totalling around RM203mil from 2019 to 2021 to a total of 337 companies, associations and NGOs.

       It is learnt that some companies, associations and NGOs had received allocations of between RM1mil and RM9mil.

       The Star reported that loopholes allowed fund recipients from Mitra to misappropriate millions of ringgit.

       Sources said that investigators had found weaknesses in Mitra’s management and that recipients were not required to submit detailed expenditure reports for validation and exploited this lack of scrutiny to their advantage.

       MACC have recommended several charges against the offenders, including criminal breach of trust.

       It also recommended for suspects to be charged with submitting false reports and power abuse in cases where contracts were awarded to relatives.