Based on the National Poverty Data Bank or eKasih managed by the Implementation Coordination Unit, Prime Minister’s Department or ICU, a total of 44,829 household heads were categorized as hardcore poor in 2020. However, following the adoption of the 2019 poverty line income methodology (PGK) and the impact of the COVID pandemic -19, the number of hardcore poor has increased to 144,932 heads of households as of June 30.
One of the targets in the 12MP is to eradicate hardcore poverty by the end of 2025.
The ‘Program Pembasmian Kemiskinan Tegar Keluarga Malaysia’ or BMTKM is a complement to existing programs to address the issue of poverty across all ethnicities in the Malaysian Family.
The Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister’s Department (EPU), and ICU have been given the responsibility to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of this program.
Poverty eradication programs are nothing new. It started since independence and intensified in the 1970s through the New Economic Policy. However, under BMTKM, methods and approaches to eradicating hardcore poverty are different and more holistic. This includes:
(i) Establish special Poverty Units at the Federal, State, and District levels;
(ii) Adopt a whole-of-nation approach with permission and based on local issues rather than one size fits all;
(iii) Involvement of various parties including public universities, private sector and industry, government-linked companies as well as civil society organizations and community-based organizations; and
(iv) Introduce a separation policy after a period of two to three years of implementation.
BMTKM will be implemented in 1,000 localities over a period of three years and six months. Phase 1 has started to be implemented in June 2022 involving 80 localities on a pilot basis.
The program that will be implemented is to increase income which includes agricultural, livestock, entrepreneurship, marketing projects as well as mindfulness and motivation development. The estimated additional income that will be generated is between RM300 to RM1,000 per month.
To ensure the success of BMTKM, the District and Branch Level Monitoring Committee is responsible for monitoring and making monthly reports and taking intervention action if necessary.
For the Sabak Bernam area, Kampung Sungai Lias has been selected involving 35 KIRs who will be involved in fertigation chilli cultivation, starting businesses, developing, and equipment assistance for fishermen. The Gerak Mula Ceremony in Kampung Sungai Lias was completed on June 17 with an allocation of RM340 thousand.
