KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has always been seen as an extremely calm and collected politician, with superb control over his emotions.
However, the cool façade cracked for a split second when the Bera lawmaker was tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in the Dewan Negara today as he touched upon an issue close to his heart – the impoverished B40 group.
“Poverty issues are dear to my heart. I was born and raised in a family of rubber tappers,” said the Pahang native before his voice cracked slightly.
He then paused for a short while, taking slow breaths followed by a sip of water before continuing with his speech.
“I truly understand the hardship faced by the rakyat. The Covid-19 pandemic that hit us has raised the level of poverty, adversely affecting individual and household income, and has pushed our families into poverty,” he said.
A source close to the prime minister told The Vibes that Ismail Sabri may have been recalling his years growing up in hardship and could relate to those suffering due to the economic freefall triggered by the pandemic.
He promised that the government is committed to eradicating extreme poverty and closing the income gap under various initiatives, such as a poverty unit set to be established under the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department.
The new unit will be tasked with coordinating all poverty-related issues, including improving its data management. The same unit will be established in each state and district office, with Ismail Sabri aiming for poverty eradication by 2025.
He also promised that the poverty line will be updated based on the 2022 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, with the scope to be expanded under the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI).
Other initiatives to tackle poverty under the 12MP include the Urban Community Economic Empowerment Programme and the Rural People’s Well-being Scheme at a cost RM1.5 billion.
The programme and scheme is expected to increase the marketability, well-being and purchasing power of B40 families.
“On education, more students from B40 families will be given priority to enter high-performance schools and be given scholarships.
“For their health, access to medical facilities will be expanded,” he said, adding that the government will also do its best to ensure B40 children are not malnourished. – The Vibes, October 12, 2021
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