SHAH ALAM, Oct 8 — The relative poverty rate in Selangor was around 8 per cent in 2025, while hardcore poverty is down to 0.9 per cent thanks to the state government’s various interventions with agencies concerned, said Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
He said efforts to address poverty cannot depend on one-off handouts, but also interventions that could increase aid recipients’ capability to rise above the poverty line.
“Those are the efforts by all parties … from the Prime Minister’s Department’s ICU (Implementation Coordination Unit) that maintain, manage and monitor poverty incidents in the state.
“Hardcore poverty is down to 0.9 (per cent), which means there is nearly 1 per cent left, but I have (drawn up) programmes, meaning whomever under it, we will help with our (initiatives) so recipients (of the aid), their lives are no longer in the hardcore poor category.
“... If the aid ends, they would (dip back below) the hardcore poor (line), that’s why we need programmes like Sejati Madani, entrepreneurship, so they can leave poverty behind,” he said after officiating Jelajah Sejahtera Madani-Skim Insurans Kesejahteraan Rakyat (SIKR) 3.0 here today.
Amirudin said Madani Government interventions through SIKR 3.0 comprises social protection to ease next-of-kin’s burdens in the event of a recipient’s death, with the coverage value increased from RM10,000 to RM13,500, while the coverage for death due to accidents raised to RM26,500.
The government has allocated RM20 million for SIKR 3.0, which gives 250,000 heads of poor and hardcore poor households, registered with eKasih, 12 months of protection.
The scheme, supervised by ICU, provides coverage in the event of untoward incidents like death, accident, or permanent disability.
In Selangor, the tour involves 500 eKasih-registered households, which will gain access to health check-ups by PRuBSN Prihatin.
