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Guest
Friday October 8, 2010
Creating opportunities for the poor
By JOSHUA FOONG
[email protected]
TOTAL elimination of hardcore poverty by the end of 2010 will take priority in the Government’s move to raise the living standards of low-income groups. The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets set for tackling the problem of low-income households by the end of this year includes helping 44,643 hardcore poor households under the e-Kasih database and reducing the incidence of poverty from 3.6% to 2.8%.
According to the GTP Roadmap, low-income households are those with a total income of less than or equal to RM2,000 per month while poor households are those with a total income less than or equal to RM750 per month. Hardcore poor describes households that have a total income less than or equal to RM440 per month.
People are encouraged to help register low-income households that they know of in the e-Kasih database, as only those registered in the system will be eligible for government support. Once the details of the low-income households are entered into the system, welfare authorities will be able to identify and track the aid distribution across the nation.
Although the Government will be providing aid to those unable to work, it will also introduce employment and income-generating opportunities for productive individuals, including the disabled, through the 1Azam programme. The four initiatives under 1Azam are Azam Tani (agriculture), Azam Niaga (small business), Azam Kerja (job matches) and Azam Khidmat (services).
Under them, business opportunities will be generated through training and micro-credit facilities while training and equipping individuals to become actively self-employed. Job placement programmes with the Human Resources and Agriculture Ministries can also be expected. Aid will only be provided to those actively seeking work or setting up businesses and will be phased out when a steady income is established.
To ensure efficient delivery of aid, databases from various agencies will be coordinated and the e-Kasih database will act as the sole depository for all low-income households. The processing time for disbursement of aid for first-time applicants will also be reduced from two months to seven days. To investigate and prosecute welfare fraud, it has been proposed that an Independent Social Development Inspectorate also be established.
Other initiatives, including education and health services, that will further reduce poverty in the nation will be implemented in stages until 2012. Women, Family and Community Develop_ment Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said 1Azam has resulted in the migration of those in the hardcore poor to the poor category, thus significantly lowering the number of hardcore poor in the country.
Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur said 20,579 poor households had come out of hardcore poverty in the first eight months of the year – a 46% reduction. Meanwhile, 12,650 or 24% poor households that are in the “still in poor” category have been removed from the “poor” category.
