KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — The government allocated nearly RM20 billion for various assistance programmes targeting the low-income group this year, helping to reduce the country’s hardcore poverty rate to just 0.09 per cent, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the allocation covers initiatives, including the Rahmah Cash Contribution (STR), the Rahmah Basic Contribution (SARA), and assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM), in addition to support from state governments and state Islamic religious councils.
“From the data, the remaining 0.09 per cent represents hardcore poverty…that was the figure at the beginning of the year. Now, the cases listed have been resolved not only through efforts by the federal government but also through cooperation with state governments and state Islamic religious councils.
“Based on e-Kasih data, the number of hardcore poor households has decreased, and we have the capacity to address the remaining cases,” he said during the Minister’s Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar) regarding the Madani government’s progress in tackling hardcore poverty and poverty in general. — Bernama
