KUALA LUMPUR – Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli will be meeting with MPs and state assemblymen from Kelantan soon to facilitate the People’s Income Initiative (IPR), which is aimed at eradicating hardcore poverty.
Rafizi said that his ministry has already held engagement sessions with local authorities in the PAS-held state last week and will schedule appointments with federal and state lawmakers after the passing of the Supply Bill 2023 in Parliament.
“The next step (for the IPR implementation) will be to meet MPs and state assemblymen.
“Once the voting (stage) for Budget 2023 is out of the way, it will be more convenient for the ministry and MPs (to coordinate their timing).
“We are looking to (have the engagement sessions) in a matter of weeks,” the Pandan MP said during a press conference at Bank Negara Malaysia here today.
Rafizi, who is also PKR deputy president, said this in response to a question of when his ministry will initiate official engagements with Kelantan MPs on the IPR initiative.
The Dewan Rakyat is currently in the midst of debating Budget 2023 at the committee level, following the motion being unanimously passed via a voice vote last week.
The IPR programme aims to help the hardcore poor generate between RM2,000 to RM2,500 in monthly income by taking part in one of three sectors: food, agriculture and services.
Rafizi had previously revealed that out of 22,000 people who have registered for IPR, only 1.7% were from Kelantan, 1.5% from Terengganu and 0.5% from Perlis.
He then extended an olive branch to opposition representatives, seeking their help in boosting IPR participation in states with high poverty levels.
Under the revised Budget 2023 tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the government has allocated RM750 million to the ministry to implement the IPR. – The Vibes, March 14, 2023
