Malaysia aims to achieve zero hardcore poverty by 2025

Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Economy Mustapa Mohamed (Photo: businesstoday.com.my)

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia’s government is optimistic about achieving the target of zero hardcore poverty by the end or 2025 with new integrated and holistic approaches in implementing the pilot projects towards increasing their income, Bernama news agency reported.

Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister's Department of Economy Mustapa Mohamed said this confidence was based on the government's earnestness in raising strategic cooperation with various parties including the universities, non-governmental organisations and private sector in helping this group get out of the poverty line.

He said the first phase of the pilot projects in 80 localities towards helping the target group were completed this year while the second phase involving 110 localities would start in mid-October this year, targeting about 5,000 households.

As of September 15,  Malaysia has 130,709 hardcore poor people.

He expressed his confidence that the number will drop, hoping various parties such as the state governments and departments will work together in achieving the target.

His department will closely monitor the pilot projects implementation so that the income of the target group could be increased in order to take them out of poverty, Mustapa said. /.