Johor Baru (Malaysia), Nov. 20 Malay Indian NGOs in Johor have received over 1.5 million ringgits from the state government this year, the Malaysian Indian Congress has said.

Johor MIC chairman K.S. Balakrishnan said the grants were given to schools and associations that had voiced their needs.

He said the associations had submitted requests detailing their activities and why they needed the grants.

"The grants are given annually by the state and we do our best to ensure the Indian community receives them," The Star Online quoted Balakrishnan, as saying.

He said he had given one million ringgits in grants to various Indian associations last week.

He told reporters after attending a ceremony where Johor Mentri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman handed out 400,000 ringgits in grants to three recipients.

Malaysian Associated Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president K.K. Eswaran said the grants showed the state was serious in ensuring no one was left behind. (ANI)