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KUALA LUMPUR: Government aid and assistance are allocated based on need, not race, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Negara today.

Tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) motion, Anwar said the Madani government is committed to ensuring that all groups — including Malays, Chinese, Indians, Bumiputera of Sabah and Sarawak, Orang Asli, women, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), and youth — benefit according to their needs.

He cautioned against turning the matter into a racial polemic, saying that support is extended inclusively across communities.

"For the poor in the Indian community, assistance is given just as we help the poor among the Malays, who still make up the majority of the poor in this country.

"But it is wrong to stir division by suggesting that one group receives while others are left out. That creates a false perception," he said.

Among the initiatives cited were financing guarantee schemes for Bumiputera entrepreneurs, SME support for the Chinese community, and targeted housing and financial aid for the Indian community.

Nationwide programmes such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) are also distributed inclusively, with nearly 57 per cent of recipients being Malays, 7.57 per cent Sabah Bumiputera, and 6.23 per cent Sarawak Bumiputera.

Anwar said the Indian community had received RM972 million through STR and Sara, as well as RM2.5 billion in housing guarantees.

"What matters is that support is channelled according to real needs. We must avoid divisive rhetoric and focus on strengthening the economy together," he added.

As Finance Minister, Anwar also outlined the nine key thrusts of 13MP.

These include human-centred Madani social empowerment, cost of living, equitable economic distribution, education recovery and public housing, regional and rural development, strengthening high-growth and high-value industries, adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), and more transparent, agile, and effective government services.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2025/08/1265313/anwar-aid-based-need-not-race