THE Government has launched its flagship Sejahtera MADANI initiative to eradicate poverty, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announcing that the programme has already raised nearly RM120 million—more than double the initial RM50 million target.
Launched under the broader Malaysia MADANI framework, the initiative brings together government, private sector and civil society partners to deliver coordinated aid to poor and hardcore poor households across the country. It focuses on four key areas: income generation, housing, education and social welfare.
Speaking at the launch, Anwar, who also holds the finance portfolio, said: “I said if Sejahtera MADANI could raise RM50 million, that would already be a success, and the government could top it up a bit, but today the response has not just doubled, it’s gone far beyond that.
“The initiative has now raised nearly RM120 million. This is a meaningful project, and we want to drive this nation to become strong and great.”
Bernama cited that also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Anwar reiterated his government’s pledge to eradicate hardcore poverty, citing promising progress between 2023 and 2024.
“My target, together with the Cabinet, is to end hardcore poverty. Based on data from 2023 to 2024, we’ve made significant progress. Even though new cases may emerge, the overall numbers are far lower than before,” he said.
The Prime Minister also commended the commitment of Islamic religious councils and the private sector, calling their support “crucial” in overcoming one of the country’s most persistent socioeconomic issues.
The initiative is spearheaded by the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department (ICU JPM), which described Sejahtera MADANI as a “whole-of-nation approach” anchored by high-impact and sustainable programmes. These are targeted at heads of households and dependants registered in the eKasih national poverty database.
As of 15 July, there were 306,403 heads of households listed in the eKasih system, including 1,017 classified as hardcore poor and 305,386 as poor.
The government has set a target of RM100 million in corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions, all of which will be channelled into the People’s Wellbeing Fund under ICU JPM.
“All CSR contributions under this initiative qualify for income tax deductions under Subsection 44(6) of the Income Tax Act 1967,” ICU JPM said in a statement.
Officials said the Sejahtera MADANI framework is designed not only to coordinate interventions across ministries, agencies and corporate partners, but also to serve as a national roadmap to ensure no citizen is left behind. - July 24, 2025
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