Poverty line income not only criterion for welfare aid - Nancy

The Poverty Line Income (PGK) adopted by the Social Welfare Department is not the sole determinant in evaluating welfare aid applications, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri.

She said multiple factors are taken into account to ensure eligible individuals in need receive government assistance.

“Other considerations include comprehensive family social support, such as dependents, chronic health conditions, intensive care needs, particularly for persons with disabilities and psychosocial factors,” she said during the questions for oral answers session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Nancy (above) added that the department employs a means-tested approach to evaluate each application, providing a broader and more accurate assessment of individual circumstances rather than solely focusing on income levels.

“Each case is handled based on actual needs and a more holistic view, not just the applicant’s income,” she said in response to Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muda-Muar), who asked if the ministry plans to raise the household income ceiling for Social Welfare Department assistance and whether the revised threshold would be reviewed annually to reflect national inflation rates.

Nancy said since January this year, the department has been using the updated Poverty Line Income, specifically the 2022 PGK, which has a threshold of RM1,198.

The review and update of the 2022 PGK were carried out by the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department and the Statistics Department, alongside the Household Income and Expenditure Survey and the Basic Amenities Survey.

- Bernama

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