Kuala Lumpur, July 2: The Malaysian Government will set up a special unit under the Education Ministry to monitor the development of Tamil schools as well as their problems.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has said that the unit would identify the schools to be converted into fully assisted schools as well as consolidate those, which had an enrolment of less than 50 pupils.

“For these schools which will be consolidated, we will propose that dormitories and other facilities be built for the students,” The Star quoted him, as saying..

“For schools which have too many students, cabins will be built as additional classrooms for them,” Razzak added.

Razzak said the Cabinet committee meeting on social problems facing Indians at the Parliament building also proposed that an institute set up by Malaysian Indian Congress -- the Asian Institute for Medicine, Science and Technology -- be re-categorised as one of the five institutes to receive aid from the Government to boost the intake of Indian students into medicine and engineering.

The institute, he added, would then sponsor Indian students to pursue courses in critical areas in institutions of higher learning.

Other matters raised during the meeting included more taxi and bus permits for Indian companies, better business opportunities and easier loans for entrepreneurs from that community, and more vocational training places for its youths.

“We would also like to see more opportunities for Indians in the development of vendor programmes with companies like Proton and Petronas. The committee also notes the lack of Indians in the civil service. We will raise this matter with the Public Service Department,” Razzak said.

Razzak said the committee would also discuss with Permodalan Nasional ways to increase the Indian hold on equity in the Malaysian market. (ANI)