BY: Aida Aziz
IPOH: The number of Hardcore Poor Households (KIR) in the state of Perak has shown remarkable results with a decrease of 51 per cent as of November 18.
Perak Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, stated that the figure includes 4,819 individuals compared to 9,402 Hardcore Poor Households in January.
“A Poverty Eradication Action Plan Workshop for the State of Perak was implemented, gathering a total of 53 agencies.
It consisted of various departments and aid-giving agencies, as well as implementing agencies at the district level such as the District Land Office and Local Authorities.
The findings of the workshop include locking the data of Hardcore Poor Households in January 2023 and giving full focus and effort to ensure that this data is successfully reduced, thereby eradicating hardcore poverty in the state.
In addition to strengthening the integrity of the eKasih data system, which serves as a reference for the number of Hardcore Poor Households, special monitoring by district administrations in close cooperation with all agencies and departments in the state, the locked data of Hardcore Poor Households was 9,402.
It shows remarkable results with a 51 per cent reduction in the latest figure as of November 18, 2023, making it 4,819 individuals,” he said.
Saarani made these remarks in response to oral questions regarding the state government’s role in supporting the federal government’s efforts to target poverty eradication in Malaysia by 2024.
He stated this during the 15th State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Conference at the Perak Darul Ridzuan Building here on Monday.
Furthermore, he said that more than 100 people’s welfare programs throughout Perak have been implemented to assist this target group with the help of departments and aid-giving agencies.
These include mobile task force programs, entrepreneurship programs, skills courses, business assistance, and the repair/construction of new houses to ensure that this target group is assisted and lifted out of hardcore poverty.
“The state government is actively collecting names from every district in the state of Perak that fall under the hardcore poor category to apply for their participation in the Federal Government’s Program implemented by the Ministry of Economy, namely the People’s Income Initiative (IPR).
One of the four initiatives offered is the Hardcore Poverty Eradication Initiative (BMT), seen as suitable to be matched with this group, where eligible participants will be assisted through income-generating projects according to their wishes and interests.
Participants will be interviewed to get feedback on the type of assistance they want to apply for and will be approved based on eligibility and program implementation guidelines.
Participants’ income-generating projects will be monitored by IPR field officers stationed in each district to ensure the success of the program and avoid interruptions midway,” he said.
