PETALING JAYA: The upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) should incorporate the Malaysian Indian Blueprint and the Indian Community Action Plan if the government is committed to uplifting the Indian community, says the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KLSICCI).

Its president Nivas Ragavan said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged that while the majority in hardcore poverty are Malays, the Indian community remains severely affected.

“If the Prime Minister and the Unity Government are truly serious about advancing the Madani Economic Framework, both the Malay and Indian communities must be placed at the heart of the nation’s mainstream economic agenda,” he said in a statement on Monday (July 28).

The Star highlighted that the 13MP is expected to enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness by promoting high-value manufacturing through business and investor-friendly policies, according to economists.

The 13MP document is scheduled to be tabled at the Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 31 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The prime minister previously said the 13MP was being formulated with a focus on the economic empowerment of the people through increased income, inclusive and sustainable economic structural reforms, and strengthening governance and efficiency in the delivery of public services.