Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed has said that the number of households categorised as poor and hardcore poor in Kuala Lumpur has increased to 10,200 families. This figure based on the latest e-Kasih data verification, obtained from the department’s Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).

Datuk Seri Mustapa also broke the number down, saying that 6,800 families fell under the poor category and 4,400 under the hardcore poor category. “This data is obtained based on the Poverty Line Income of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur which classifies families with incomes below RM2,216 as poor and RM1,110 and below as hardcore poor,” he added, speaking after conducting a poverty survey and data verification process at the Perkasa People’s Housing Project (PPR), Taman Maluri.

The minister also said that the ICU department of the Prime Minister’s Department will identify and assist families who are in need by going down to the field to provide explanations regarding the e-Kasih programme. This is a part of the government’s effort to create a strategy to tackle urban poverty under the 12^th Malaysia Plan.

At a separate event, Datuk Seri Mustapa also noted that the government will work on reducing the country’s poverty rate following the Covid-19 pandemic, which has impacted the people’s income. He said that while the poverty rate was initially recorded at 5.6% in 2019 based on the Household Income, Expenditure, and Basic Amenities Survey 2019, the number will have changed now due to the pandemic.

“The poverty Line Income review study was conducted in 2019 and announced last year. So this study does not cover what happened in 2020. If we look at 2020, that is when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, and now, the numbers are definitely different. In 2019, the poverty rate was 5.6%. There was an estimate done by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) during the Covid-19 period, that it (the rate) could increase by about 3%, namely 8.4%,” said Datuk Seri Mustapa in an interview in conjunction with the one-year anniversary of Malaysia Prihatin.

The minister also stressed that the issue of national poverty was placed as one of the priorities under the 12^th Malaysia Plan, focusing specifically on eliminating hardcore poverty and reducing socio-economic inequality. These will be achieved through the implementation of comprehensive and targeted programmes.

(Sources: The Sun Daily [1, 2])

• TAGS:
• 12th Malaysia Plan
• Covid-19
• Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed
• Department of Statistics Malaysia
• e-Kasih
• Household Income & Basic Amenities Survey Report
• Household Income & Basic Amenities Survey Report 2019
• National Poverty Line Income
• Poverty Line Income