STOP FAKING POVERTY-LEVEL FIGURES: Surendran tells BN to take responsibility for Pengerang SUICIDES

I refer to tragic suicide of a family in Pengerang, Johor on 1 Jan 2013 due to poverty and forced relocation for the Rapid project. The BN government's usual indifference to the human cost of mega projects and failure to alleviate poverty has directly led to these deaths.

In their massive land-grab for the Rapid project, the BN showed complete disregard for the great hardships suffered by the residents. Cut off suddenly from their livelihood and way of life, and ordered to relocate to a barren land without proper infrastructure, it is no wonder that some have chosen suicide.

This unfortunate Pengerang family also represents many millions of Malaysians who are living in poverty despite the resources and riches of our country. With 40 percent of households earning below RM1,500, at least 11.6 million Malaysians are living in poverty! The BN government has refused to admit to the seriousness and wide extent of the problem of poverty. Instead, the BN government has reported an absurdly low poverty figure of 3.8 percent.

STOP issuing false poverty level figures

The government's poverty figure is completely unrealistic and intended to dupe the public into thinking that poverty has been eradicated. How is it that the BN boasts of only 3.8 percent in poverty, when an advanced country like Japan admits to 15.7 percent? Even the European Union( EU) average poverty percentage is as high as 16.4. The BN is clearly manipulating poverty statistics for political reasons, while poor Malaysians suffer from hunger and want.

The Pengerang suicides were completely avoidable, and should be a wake-up call for Malaysia. The BN government must stop pandering to rich cronies and favoured businessmen, whilst neglecting the mass of poor Malaysians.

Why is it that in Malaysia the gap between the rich and the poor is the second highest in Asia? The government must now reveal the actual poverty figures and urgently tackle the root causes of poverty, whilst rendering relief in urgent cases. We must ensure that there is no repeat of the Pengerang suicides.

N SURENDRAN IS VICE PRESIDENT, PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT