Tackling poverty issues

from The Malaysian Star

By ROSLINA MOHAMAD

KUANTAN: The Government has set up a focus group to eradicate poverty and complement the work of agencies and institutions that provide welfare for the poor.

The emphasis, however, will be on finding ways to get the poor employed or involved in cottage industries that provide a steady income.

Teruntum assemblyman Datuk Ti Lian Ker said the group was established at federal, state and district levels and reflected the Government's commitment to overcome problems associated with the poor.

“The group will have a committee that will meet once a fortnight to monitor and streamline efforts towards reducing the poverty rate of 5.7% to 2.8% by 2010.

“It will act aggressively and pro-actively in identifying the poor and source for work to ensure they have a steady income to sustain their daily needs,” he told reporters after visiting a poor family in Tanjung Api here recently.

The visit to the house of Mazlan Sidek and his wife Siti Fauziana Sheikh Mohamad, both 34, marked Ti’s efforts to map out the poverty level and pattern of poverty in his constituency.

Ti said that some of them were poor due to socio-economic or health reasons.

By obtaining details on the poverty level and the pattern, steps could be taken to ensure they did not fall into the hardcore poor category, he said.

He said that, prior to this, welfare assistance was done on ad hoc basis or provided by the Welfare Department.

The focus group would complement the department's duties so that the poor would receive the aid quickly, he added.

Ti said, in the case of Mazlan, who became paralysed after contracting a disease that affected his spine in September last year, efforts were being made to get him to do some work at home such as repackaging sweets into small packets.

“He and his wife can do this at home and earn some income.

“My duty is to find jobs so that the poor will not fall into the hardcore poor level,” he said.

Ti called on the public and private sectors to work together to combat poverty and they can contact him at 019-989 2626.

When met, Mazlan said he was willing to do any work that suited his ability.

He said, before becoming paralysed, he earned RM1,500 monthly at a nearby fish landing jetty.

Mazlan, who uses a wheelchair provided by Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital, has four children aged 10, eight, six and one. Siti Fauziana is a housewife.