KUALA LUMPUR: The government has disbursed nearly RM20 billion in financial aid to reduce income disparities and eradicate hardcore poverty, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
This total includes RM15 billion allocated under the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) programmes, as well as RM3.1 billion in assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
He added that the implementation of the revised minimum wage policy, raised from RM1,200 to RM1,700, is also targeted at reducing relative poverty.
“This once again underlines our commitment to narrowing the widening gap between the rich and the poor,” Anwar said during the Prime Minister’s Question Time (PMQT) session.
“This is what we are doing, and we hope to be able to provide further support once the economy stabilises.”
He was responding to Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Opposition-Kuala Kangsar), who asked about the government’s progress in tackling poverty.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said the hardcore poverty rate has shown a declining trend, standing at around 0.09 per cent.
He said the achievement was not solely the result of efforts by the federal government but also due to close collaboration with state governments and state Islamic religious councils.
“If it remains at 0.09 per cent, that’s hardcore poverty. Those were the early-year figures.
“Now, the listed households have all been addressed, not only through federal government initiatives but also with the cooperation of state governments and Islamic religious councils, including in Kelantan and Kedah.
“Based on eKasih data, the number of hardcore poor households has decreased, and we have the capacity to resolve it,” he said.
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