ANWAR DROPS BOMBSHELL: GUAN ENG PREPARING ‘VERY BIG’ ALLOCATION FOR THE POOR – IN LINE WITH PAKATAN’S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BASED ON NEEDS’

THE Finance Ministry is preparing a “very big” allocation for the B40 group in the revised Budget 2019, said Anwar Ibrahim.

“In my discussions with the finance minister, he is now preparing a bigger allocation. It’s not yet announced and as such I cannot reveal anything,” said the Port Dickson MP during the debate on the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Although the RM22.9 billion allocated for the B40 group is large in comparison to other budgets, it was still insufficient.

“I would like the finance minister to re-look at the allocations for the underprivileged B40 group as the amount is insufficient.

“Let’s take the issue of university and college students not having enough to eat. The government must take immediate steps to stop this. 

“Hungry students cannot study properly if they don’t have enough to eat,” said the 71-year-old PKR president.

In his speech, Anwar said that the poor cuts across race, religion and locality.

“During Tun Razak’s time, the poverty was focused in the rural areas. But today, there are poor in the small towns and cities, too, and it cuts across all races although Malays are still the majority of the poor.

“As such, what we need is an affirmative action policy based on needs.”  

Anwar said the number of verified poor were 190,534 with hardcore poverty at 55,981.

The statistics show that Sarawak has the highest number with 59,095, Sabah (39,715) and Kelantan (38,661).

“Among the 190,534 poor, 71,717 (38%) were self-employed while 63,393 (33%) were salaried workers. The unemployed were 55,424 (29%).

“Urban poverty was around 107,114 (56%), higher than rural poverty at 83,420 (42%).”

Anwar said he was surprised that the poverty data showed higher incidences of poverty in the urban areas.

“As such, I suggest that there is a survey to register all the poor in the rural areas,” said Anwar.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT