Eradication of Hardcore Poor Households Programme

14 August 2024

KOTA KINABALU: On May 31st 2024, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Sabah will finalise the list of Hardcore Poor Households (KIR) in the Locked Figure (LF), totaling 22,510 KIR by the end of July 2024.

The term 'Locked Figure' denotes the predetermined number of hardcore poor households established on January 31, 2023, for the Hardcore Poverty Eradication Programme.

The Poverty Line Income (PGK) calculation for hardcore poor households in Sabah for 2022 stands at RM 1,218 per household and RM 288 per capita.

A statement released by the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat of the Chief Minister’s office stated that the calculation of the Food Poverty Line Income (PGK) for hardcore poor households is determined based on the minimum energy/caloric requirements for each household, taking into account the food pyramid and balanced dietary practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). This ensures that every household can lead a healthy and active life in society.

On September 13, 2023, the State Government assigned the Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat (SMJ Secretariat) the responsibility of implementing assistance interventions to address the locked figure of hardcore poor households, targeting 22,510 KIR.

The SMJ Secretariat has developed thirteen additional indicators to facilitate the coordination and prioritization of assistance interventions within the specified timeframe.

The SMJ Secretariat has collaborated with the Sabah State Development Office and the Prime Minister's Department's Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU JPM) to conduct fieldwork aimed at profiling, cleansing, and matching assistance for the 22,510 KIR.

The fieldwork aims to implement assistance interventions tailored to the needs of hardcore poor households (KIR/AIR). The assistance offered includes short-term, medium-term, and long-term support, such as housing assistance under the Sabah Maju Jaya Housing Programme, educational programmes, job matching with Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) and industry players, income enhancement programmes, and monthly cash assistance for non-productive-households, particularly those who have surpassed retirement age.

“At the same time, various forms of assistance from the federal and state governments, such as monthly aid from the Department of Social Welfare, including Child Assistance, Elderly Assistance, Assistance for Persons with Disabilities, Rahmah Cash Assistance (STR), and Basic Rahmah Assistance (SARA) from the Ministry of Finance Malaysia, as well as educational and business assistance, have been disbursed. However, due to the large number of household members, averaging six or more, the income received is insufficient to meet the family's food needs.”

On July 23, 2024, the State Government, through the decision of the Sabah State Development Action Council (MTPNg) Meeting No. 2/2024, approved an allocation of RM2,850,537 as additional assistance for 1,147 KIR that still retained their status as Hardcore Poor as of July 20, 2024.

On August 13, 2024, the Chief Minister Datuk Hajiji Noor announced that the hardcore poor listed in the locked figure have been eradicated.

However, dynamic data in the eKasih database indicates that 4,634 Households (KIR) remain classified as hardcore poor and are being monitored by the SMJ Secretariat.

The figure of 4,634 KIR represents new applications registered in the eKasih system, those not registered, and changes in status from poor to hardcore poor. This number will be addressed under Phase Two (2) of Sabah's Hardcore Poverty Eradication Programme.

The State Government will announce new locked figure (LF) data by the end of this year.