ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating hardcore poverty in the state, with a targeted timeline of March 25 to achieve zero cases.
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the state government had identified 235 hardcore poor households as of Nov 3, 2024, and had launched an intensive effort to completely eradicate hardcore poverty by March this year.
He added that the state had successfully reduced its hardcore poverty rate to zero as of July 31, 2024, through coordinated efforts between the state government, elected representatives, government agencies, local councils, and district offices.
“The significant drop in hardcore poverty numbers was the result of a joint initiative involving all stakeholders.
“The state has implemented targeted programmes such as the ‘Keluarga Angkat’ initiative and ‘Dapur Kasih Johor’ to help struggling families increase their household income,” he said.
He said this during a press conference after the Coordination Briefing on Eradicating Hardcore Poverty and the Johor Dapur Kasih 2025 Programme briefing at Kota Iskandar on Monday (March 10).
Also present was Johor women, family, and community development committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail.
Mohd Fared emphasised that poverty is a dynamic issue and that continuous monitoring is necessary to prevent new cases from emerging.
He added that the state government has adopted a quarterly review approach to assess poverty levels instead of waiting for an annual review.
“We are dealing with live data, so there is no specific target for eradication. For example, if the sole breadwinner of a family passes away and those left behind have no other source of income, they will automatically be listed as hardcore poor.
"This proactive approach allows us to intervene early and provide timely support to those in need. Our ultimate goal is not just to eradicate hardcore poverty, but to ensure that no family falls back into hardship," he said.
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