‘Update your records on the hardcore poor’
Through the accurate eKasih system, we will know the kind of help we need to give, for example welfare assistance, BR1M, Fishermen’s Welfare Assistance and others which can boost the income of the head of the hardcore poor households. Through 1Azam programme, they can upgrade their skills or be involved in small business, among others.
KUCHING: There are many ways the government can assist the hardcore poor.
But relevant government agencies in the state must do their part by continually upgrading their records on the target group so they can be identified and helped, said Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, adding this should be done as part of the exercise to achieve the zero hard core poor status by end of next year.
“Through the accurate eKasih system, we will know the kind of help we need to give, for example welfare assistance, BR1M, Fishermen’s Welfare Assistance and others which can boost the income of the head of hardcore poor households.
“Through 1Azam programme, they can upgrade their skills or be involved in small business, among others,” she said.
She added that the number of
Datuk Fatimah Abdullah Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister
hardcore poor families this year is 27,911, six per cent lower than last year’s figure of 29,587.
“This is a sign that we are on the right track and making the right plan,” she pointed out.
Fatimah was speaking at a press conference after chairing Focus Group Meeting to eradicate poverty in the state in Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Petra Jaya here Tuesday.
She revealed that the number of those out of the poverty cycle as of this month is 41,529, whereas it was 35,642 during the same month last year.
“The figure had increased due to increase in the income of the head of the household from the benchmark of RM990 for hardcore poor,” she said.
Fatimah added that this year the state government planned to further reduce the number of hardcore poor by 60 per cent.
“Every quarter the figure is to be reduced by 15 per cent from 27,769 to 17,005 at the end of the year,” she elaborated.
She said they monitored those registered under 1Azam every six months.
‘ To date, 1Azam Sarawak had used 99 per cent of the RM20.0 million they received in 2016,’ she further said.
Fatimah also said RM5 million had been received for 1Azam programmes in the state from the federal government this year to assist 625 new poor and hardcore poor families.
She also revealed that her ministry and 1Azam will produce a reference and guideline on 1Azam projects and activities in collaboration with other agencies.
Based on their good performance last year, she said the state was applying for the remainder of the allocation of RM20 million for this year from the federal government for the state’s 1Azam programme as promised in a Putra Jaya Inquisition Meeting chaired by the prime minister which is expected to benefit 2,500 poor and hardcore poor households.
Present at the press conference were the ministry’s permanent secretary Datin Megir Gumbek and other officials.