IPOH: The People's Income Initiative (IPR) project that seeks to boost the income of the poor will continue in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), says Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.
Rafizi said the Agro Entrepreneur Initiative (IPR-Intan), one of the three initiatives under the project, helps the low-income group by providing job opportunities, eradicating poverty, and ensuring food security.
"We need to implement this (IPR-Intan) in phases because the key factor is land. The more land the state governments provide, the faster we can expand (the initiative). I now see positive feedback from the people; they are starting to understand.
"More state governments are coming forward to offer land, and the Ministry of Economy will ensure that the necessary allocations will be provided when these lands are handed over to the federal government," he told reporters today after the 13MP engagement session with the Perak government.
He said the Food Entrepreneur Initiative (IPR-Insan) will also continue, but this initiative, where participants sell food at affordable prices using new approaches such as vending machines, is not heavily dependent on the state governments as the ministry handles it.
"We need to find as many locations as possible that agree to place these machines," he said, adding that it is a tedious process.
"If we manage to secure more locations, we can scale it up further...the challenge is that potential locations don't always allow us to place the machines there," Rafizi said.
The IPR, which also includes the Services Operator Initiative (IPR-Ikhsan), was launched on Feb 26, 2023, to increase the people's income in line with the rising cost of living.
Meanwhile, Rafizi said improvements to the framework under the Ageing Nation Agenda have been identified, including legal aspects to establish the care economy.
"For the long term... it's not just about creating a sustainable care economy for the country, but we also need to consider what forms of social protection will be needed as our country becomes an ageing nation," he said, adding that the 13MP will be the first one with a specific focus on the Ageing Nation Agenda.
On Aug 27, Rafizi said that the Economy Ministry would present a White Paper on the Ageing Nation Agenda in Parliament next year. - Bernama
