In the Parliament session today (October 22), a PAS politician, Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff said that the government has failed to end poverty by 2023.
“RM2,000 monthly wage in rural areas is not the same as RM2,000 salary in the city.”
Datuk Siti also asked Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim about his plans to put an end to poverty, to which the latter asked her not to label the government a failure.
“Don’t say we failed. I have asked the state government, including District Officers, to make further additions and to shift from the old approach used by the previous government to a per capita income based on new information,” he told the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also emphasized that as of October 21, 65.6% of extreme poverty, or 15,029 household heads, have been handled based on the registered records.
“What was obtained as of January 31, 2023, was that there were 126,372 household heads, including those in the extreme poverty category.”
No one is left behind
Anwar also emphasized that the government’s approach to eradicating extreme poverty does not discriminate by race. All citizens who are in need will be assisted without discrimination.
“For example, when we address extreme poverty in Kuala Lumpur, we do not consider race. This means that all communities in extreme poverty including Malays, a small number of Chinese, and the Indians will be helped.”
Anwar then emphasised that it is not true to say that the aids only go to the Malay community, although the race occupies the highest percentage.
He stated that the collaboration between the federal and state governments has also helped increase new registrations for those in extreme poverty, which helped to facilitate the government’s efforts in bringing them out of poverty.
What do you think the government can do to help the poverty?
Also read: PMX Says Poverty Still Exists in Malaysia Despite Changes in Gov’t Because of Past Corrupt Leaders
