Sessions proactive move to reach needy, says Wan Azizah

KUALA LUMPUR – Engagement sessions on the Hardcore Poverty Eradication Programme organised by the Prime Minister’s Department are a proactive move towards realising the Unity Government’s aspirations to eliminate hardcore poverty, said Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

The prime minister’s wife said the programme assisted government agencies in identifying target groups and those who were really in need.

“We admit that there are those who are left out (from receiving aid), that is what (we) want to reduce. We want to ensure that those who really need (aid) receive it...(some people) may not appear to be poor, but in reality, they are living in hardship.

“The team (relevant government agencies) will help them, this is what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants, eradicating hardcore poverty...this is what we want to achieve and improve,” said Dr Wan Azizah, who is also the Bandar Tun Razak member of Parliament.

She said this to reporters after attending the engagement session for the  Bandar Tun Razak and Cheras parliamentary constituencies at Institut Latihan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) here today.

The programme involved 230 household heads from the Bandar Tun Razak parliamentary constituency and 77 household heads from the Cheras constituency registered with the eKasih system.

The engagement session was also attended by representatives of the Federal Territories Department (JWP), DBKL, the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) in the Prime Minister’s Department, the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) and the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) as well as the Social Welfare Department.

According to data from eKasih, a database system for poor households that aids in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of poverty eradication programmes, some 1,811 household heads in Kuala Lumpur have been categorised as hardcore poor as of July 31.

Meanwhile, participant K. Kaneasan, 42, praised the government’s initiative, saying it was helpful for household heads with concerns over aid applications.

“I just need to submit a form and a health report for eKasih registration purposes in order to get various forms of assistance, including for my children,” said the father of four who had to give up his job as a security guard owing to heart illness. – Bernama, October 1, 2023