MORE allocation for the Penang Hindu Endowments Board (PHEB) is needed to strengthen support for the Indian community in Penang.
A. Kumaresan (PH-Batu Uban) shared this during the State Legislative Assembly session at the State Assembly building in Light Street today.
He also said that by increasing the allocation, more assistance can be provided to meet the diverse needs of the Indian community in Penang.
“The PHEB, which is under the state government, not only looks after the temples but also assists students financially through grants.
“Recently, PHEB proposed establishing a dialysis centre.
“It is hoped the annual allocation of RM2 million will be increased so that the PHEB can do more for the community,” Kumaresan added.
Apart from that, Kumaresan also enquired about the status of the Penang-Chennai flight, which he had raised during the State Legislative Assembly last year.
Kumaresan stressed that with the recent announcement of the expansion of the Penang International Airport (PIA), the state government must increase the number of direct flights.
“We used to have direct flights from Penang to Chennai, but due to certain factors, they were halted.
“I understand that recently, delegates from Penang visited India to discuss the matter, and I would like to know the outcome of that visit.
“There are many opportunities in the southern part of India, and also in the northern part, in terms of business, tourism and many others,” Kumaresan said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter