Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed hardcore poverty in the country will be put an end to under governments efforts to drastically reduce the number of poor households this year.
He said the full government machinery, especially the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) and agencies under it, need to be mobilised immediately towards finalising this effort.
“In 2023, this group (hardcore poor) must be uplifted and put an end to the amount of poverty, including those in Negeri Sembilan,” he said when speaking at the launch of Sentuhan Kasih Desa in Nilai, today (June 24).
He said, KKDW is also a strategic ministry that is able to accommodate the people whose majority are Malays to help in addition to small groups including Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli and the interior of Sabah and Sarawak.
The Prime Minister said that the entire ministry should not only discuss large and mega projects, but rather should try to help the people involved get out of the shackles of poverty.
“We are not only talking about the high-speed railway, the East Coast Rail Link Project (ECRL), semi-detached buildings, Putrajaya and so on, but the poor don’t have enough to buy milk for their children, they don’t have enough to buy school clothes, so we have to prioritise that.
“I don’t think it’s wrong if all the machinery can be focused, this is why we want the people to see for themselves what the government is doing, including the Negeri Sembilan government, to know the programs, and not to use the political space to attack others,” he said.
Meanwhile, he once again reiterated that all school toilets across the country need to be urgently repaired this year, thus providing comfort for the students who are the heart of the country.
“If we talk about the great economy, the salaries of the ministers, the salaries of the special ambassadors are all high, but the school toilets cannot be repaired, that’s why I say we must finish this year for our children,” he said.
Also present at the ceremony this morning were the Deputy Prime Minister and KKDW Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and Defense Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
On a separate matter, Anwar said the government has never signed any maritime agreement with Indonesia involving the area referred to as the Ambalat block.
The Prime Minister said that claims that the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border agreement signed by him and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on June 8 involves the water block are slanderous and untrue.
“There are some which has yet to be completed (sealed), including the area called Ambalat, but they are ‘bingai’ (daft). The Ambalat has not been completed (not yet decided). The area in Sabah, Pulau Sebatik has not been completed either.
“I have discussed and agreed with Jokowi to only sign a (maritime agreement) which has already been completed,” he said.
The signing of the Sulawesi Sea Treaty, Malacca Strait Malaysia-Indonesia takes into account expert opinion.
Former Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, reportedly urged the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to give a detailed explanation regarding the Ambalat block issue after signing the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border agreement on June 8.
Saifuddin is reported to have said that the people are entitled to a detailed explanation on the Ambalat issue so as not to cause any speculation.
Commenting further, Anwar said that Malaysia and Indonesia are close neighbours, with both sides agreeing not to take the path of enmity.
“Who is Indonesia? Our neighbours … one group of friends. In the past, most of the (regions) were one country, whether it was the Malay kingdom of Malacca, Johor Riau or Majapahit, the relationship was of one family.
“I don’t want to be hostile towards Indonesia. We are interdependent, but we want to increase this friendly relationship even more.
“So, when we negotiate, it has been ten years, decades since independence. For 18 years we have been discussing the (maritime) border issue. I decided and agreed with Jokowi, along his instructions to his people, to resolve it immediately,” he said.
Anwar also explained that the maritime agreement was signed after being agreed upon and receiving advice from authorities including the Attorney General.
“My instructions to officials was to find a way, never to pawn, follow the rules. On this, who decides? It’s the surveying and mapping committee, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Attorney Genera. Once thoroughly done, I just signed.
“In Johor, I personally spoke to DYMM Sultan of Johor, and the area we signed does not include the Johor border. It has crossed the Johor border.
“This is an example of how the facts are twisted to deceive the people, Some call themselves ‘ustaz’ and teachers. That’s why the Unity Government bases it decision on fact, not political rhetoric,” he said.
