9MP mid-term shows poverty reduction

from NST Online

The Ninth Malaysia Plan, whose mid-term review will be conducted in March, has already shown positive results, the Prime Minister said today.
Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the third national mission to eradicate poverty and bridge socio-economic divides had reduced poverty from 5.7 per cent in 2004 to 3.5 per cent last year, according to a study by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU).

“I am very happy to state here the positive effects of the development plans and projects we have implemented for the benefit of the people. The EPU’s household income survey carried out last year showed the rate of poverty had gone down, with the number of hardcore poor reduced from 1.2 per cent to 0.7 per cent. This means that our target to eradicate poverty by 2010 is achievable,” he said at an annual gathering of 8,000 civil servants organised by the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

Also present were several cabinet ministers, corporate leaders, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, Public Services director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

Other findings:
* The income gap between rural and urban areas had also been reduced from a ratio of 1:2.11 in 2004 to 1:1.99 last year.
* The income gap between Bumiputera and Chinese has fallen from 1:1.64 in 2004 to 1:1.52 last year, the Bumiputera and Indians from 1:1.27 to 1:1.23 while the Indians and Chinese from 1:1.28 to 1:1.23.

“This means that we have been able to reduce the income gap three years earlier than we targeted,” Abdullah said.

The EPU, he said, would only finalise the survey findings in March but he expressed confidence that the figures to determine the government’s level of accomplishment in implementing all five thrusts of the national mission would show positive results.
Since independence, the government had been consistent in its effort to wipe out poverty and with the implementation of the New Economic Policy, the poverty level was reduced by 60 per cent.

“This effort has always been our priority and we are thankful that we have succeeded. By 2010, there will be no more poor people in this country. We should be resolute in our commitment to get rid of poverty,” he said.

The government has allocated RM200 billion for projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.