Tackling rise in urban poverty

Targeted approach: The FT Ministry launched a programme to uplift micro entrepreneurs at PPR Kerinchi in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur. —SAMUEL ONG/The Star

TWO years ago, Sabariah Mahmud, 62, a home-based micro entrepreneur, sold curry puffs at 40sen a piece.

Last month, the mother-of-two who lives in a low-cost flat in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur decided to increase the price of the curry puffs, which came in three varieties – potato, sardine and chicken, to 50sen a piece.

Not all her customers were happy with the 10sen hike of her curry puffs.

“I did not want to increase the price as I understand that people are struggling with the rising cost of living.

“But I had no choice as the prices of almost everything went up. I have to earn an income too,” she said.

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions imposed to curb its transmission have massively disrupted the supply chain, resulting in rising prices of necessities.

While experts deliberate on the macro- economic aspects, ordinary folk like Sabariah, and other low-income households, are already feeling the brunt of high cost of basic necessities.

In the Federal Territories, at least 6,100 households are considered poor and 4,500 are hardcore poor, according to the National Poverty Data Bank System (eKasih).A poor household is one that earns less than RM2,208 a month while the hardcore poor earns less than RM1,169 monthly.

Kuala Lumpur topped both categories with 4,051 poor and 3,865 hardcore poor households, while Labuan has 1,605 poor and 654 hardcore poor homes.

Rosida says a pilot project is set to launch at PPR Kerinchi this month.

Putrajaya, despite its status as the administrative capital of Malaysia, also has its fair share of poor households at 67 and eight are in the hardcore poor category.

Federal Territories Ministry secretary- general Datuk Seri Rosida Jaafar said the ministry was paying serious attention to the urban poverty issue.

She said the ministry spent RM151.3mil since the start of the pandemic on initiatives to uplift the needy involving 530,000 people in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

Among the initiatives were MyGrocer@Wilayah, MyFood@Wilayah, MyJob@Wilayah, MySchoolBus@Wilayah and MyMedic@Wilayah.

“Through the MyFood@Wilayah initiative, some 100,000 food baskets were distributed, especially to residents of public (PA) and people’s housing projects (PPR).

“Some 23,000 households also received a monthly assistance in the form of a 5kg bag of rice throughout 2021,” she said.

Rosida noted that under MyGrocer@Wilayah, four trucks selling groceries were sent to 49 locations, mostly PA and PPR areas.

“The items in these trucks are sold at prices that are between 5% and 20% cheaper than the usual market price,” she added.

Amid the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic, many companies opted to trim their workforce as part of a cost-cutting measure.

Many people became jobless in a matter of weeks, sparking concerns about widening inequality and of households slipping from the M40 category into the B40 group.

Rosida said low qualifications, reliance on only one income source and limited access to affordable housing were among factors trapping a person in poverty.

A resident receiving food aid under MyFood@Wilayah from Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim (right) and his deputy Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias (centre) at Seri Lempah Flats in Taman Desa last year. — Filepic

MyJob@Wilayah, a job-matching programme, offered 86,000 jobs in construction, maintenance, cleaning, packaging, manufacturing and service sectors.

“The Social Security Organisation helped to identify prospective employers and set up job interviews,” she noted.

One such programme held at PPR Desa Rejang in Setiawangsa on Feb 26 this year, drew 145 jobseekers.

Eight from that group secured a job while another 84 qualified for a second interview, said Rosida.

“Meanwhile, 465 trading kiosks in Kuala Lumpur and 99 in Putrajaya were given to young entrepreneurs to do business.

“We are targeting to allocate up to 1,000 such kiosks at strategic locations within this year,” she explained.

Rosida also said a pilot project was set to launch at PPR Kerinchi in Pantai Dalam this month, aimed at tackling poverty.

Under a partnership with the private sector, Economic Planning Unit, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and community leaders, the project would see 70 residents being recruited and trained to become micro entrepreneurs.

“Participants are chosen based on data provided via the eKasih registry,” she said, adding that they would be coached on marketing strategies, in addition to receiving training and equipment.

The business types include food and beverage, groceries, car workshops, nursery and alternative treatments, as well as beauty and care services.

Last year, the ministry, through its Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Programme, spent RM1.97mil training aspiring entrepreneurs.

Some 180 people, most of whom were residents of PPR and PA benefited from the initiative, which also included an initial capital injection.

Each participant received between RM10,000 and RM20,000 and their target was to make a profit of between RM2,000 and RM6,000 within the first few months of operation.

Under the MyMedic@Wilayah initiative, some 7,400 PPR and PA residents benefited from its free basic medical consultation as of last December.

With 264 sessions being held at 16 locations last year, Rosida said it aimed to help lighten the financial burden in terms of medical cost.

“Meanwhile, under MySchool@Wilayah, 11,500 students from low and medium-cost housing received free transport to school by bus,” she said.

Among the locations covered were PA and PPR homes, DBKL workers’ quarters and nurseries under the Welfare Department.