MALAYSIA has achieved great success in its efforts to eradicate hardcore poverty with the rate now dropping to just 0.09 percent, which is less than 7,000 households.
Based on the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) 2024 Report, the figure is lower than the 0.2 percent recorded in 2022.
Economy Minister Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the achievement showed that Malaysia was close to eliminating extreme poverty, in line with international standards which consider the target to be achieved when the rate is below three percent.
“The people’s standard of living has improved with the average monthly household income increasing from RM7,901 in 2019 to RM8,479 in 2022 and then to RM9,155 in 2024, an increase of 3.8 percent compared to 2022,” he said in his speech at the launch of the HIES report at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), today.
Also present were Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin.
According to Amir Hamzah, the Gini Coefficient Index also recorded a decrease to 0.390, indicating a narrowing income gap between the low and high income groups, a positive sign of the country's economic balance.
Based on the HIES Report, income growth also varied by state, indicating diverse economic conditions.
Six states recorded median household income exceeding the national level, namely Kuala Lumpur RM10,802, Putrajaya RM10,769, Selangor RM10,726, Johor RM7,712, Penang RM7,386, and Labuan RM7,383.
Penang recorded the highest annual median household income growth at 6.4 percent between 2022 and 2024, while Perak recorded the lowest growth at 2.1 percent.
Average monthly disposable income also increased by 3.2 percent to RM7,584 in 2024.
Total disposable income contributed 82.8 percent of total gross household income, indicating the ability of households to cover basic expenses.
“The government will continue to strengthen the economic fundamentals and ensure that the well-being of the people is always a priority, whether in urban or rural areas,” he said.
HIES is the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s (DOSM) main instrument for assessing household income, expenditure and socio-economic status, which forms the basis of the government’s inclusive development policy. - October 8, 2025
