Gov't prepared to review poverty line, says Dr M
PARLIAMENT | The government is prepared to review the definition of the national poverty line (NPI) to give a "real picture" of the poverty issue in Malaysia, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
"However, what is more important is that the efforts to eradicate poverty are carried out continuously and effectively," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today...
PARLIAMENT | The government is prepared to review the definition of the national poverty line (NPI) to give a "real picture" of the poverty issue in Malaysia, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.
"However, what is more important is that the efforts to eradicate poverty are carried out continuously and effectively," he said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Anwar Ibrahim (Harapan-Port Dickson) who asked about the measures and actions taken by the government on the United Nations special rapporteur Philip Alston's comments on extreme poverty and human rights in Malaysia.
Mahathir had previously conceded that there is a need to adjust the poverty line of a monthly household income of RM980, though he insisted the country's poverty rate was not as bad as described by Alston.
In the House today, he said the government had been examining the NPI since March 2019, through the Statistics Department, Health Ministry and other related departments and agencies.
The prime minister has also instructed the Economic Affairs Ministry to study the report by Alston.
In addition, he said the government had also started using the multi-dimensional poverty index (MPI) after the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysian Plan.
"It serves to complement the NPI to measure and monitor poverty from multi-dimensional perspectives which cover health, education, income and standard of living.
"The MPI is seen as more inclusive, in line with international practices," Mahathir said.
However, among efforts carried out by the government right now to eradicate poverty include improving the e-Kasih system, which is being used as the database on national poverty.
The government's main strategy in eradicating poverty, Mahathir said, would be through increasing the income and purchasing power of the rakyat.
Such efforts will ensure that each household will be given attention in line with the concept of inclusive development under the shared prosperity vision 2030, he said.
In August this year, Alston had claimed that Malaysia has been severely under-reporting the true state of poverty in the country.
Official figures show that the poverty rate fell from 49 percent in 1970 to just 0.4 percent in 2016 but Alston insisted that Malaysia's poverty rate was closer to 15 percent (937,500 households).
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