PM: Our priority is to help the hardcore poor

All smiles: Anwar greeting people during a meeting with department heads and senior federal officials at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu in Kuala Nerus. — Bernama

KUALA NERUS: The welfare of the poor, especially those in the hardcore category, will continue to be prioritised by the unity government, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the “Rahmah” conceptual approach would also be continued and emphasised in all government programmes under his administration.

“The issue of welfare is called the Rahmah programme.

“We will make it the theme in all programmes to help the poor, especially the hardcore poor, which is our priority in the current government administration,” he told reporters after a meeting with department heads and senior federal officials at the Senate Hall of Universiti Malaysia Terengganu here yesterday, Bernama reported.

In this regard, Anwar said he wanted to ensure that more focus was given to education, health and welfare projects for the people including flood mitigation, as opposed to large or mega projects.

He said the Federal Government had always been open to working with all parties, including state governments under the opposition bloc, for the benefit of the people.

Anwar also reminded senior officials and department heads to beef up their efforts and know about the priorities in providing services to the people.

Asked about the state elections in Kedah, Penang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu and Kelantan, he said it was still too early to be decided and it was the affair of the respective state governments.

“It would be ideal if the state elections are held simultaneously. However, it is not under my jurisdiction,” he added.

Anwar, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, said it was still too early to decide on the distribution of seats among the coalition members for the state elections, including in Terengganu.

For now, he said, he would focus on government administration.

He added that during an audience with Sultan of Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin at the Istana Syarqiyyah in Kuala Terengganu yesterday morning, they did not touch on the issue.