Need more efforts to eradicate urban poverty

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Government to put in greater efforts in the eradication of urban poverty including the definition of poverty line. We need better data.

On 25.3.2010, Dr Tan feels that the answer in the House by Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Senator Dato' Raja Nong Chik on urban poverty is unsatisfactory. Kuantan MP Puan Hajah Fuziah raises the question on the implementation and the success of Urban Poverty Eradication Programmes.

The minister says that urban poverty has been reduced from 0.4% in 2004 to 0.3% in 2007. He does not give figures on 2008 and 2009. He stresses the success of the Urban Poverty Eradication Programmes.

There must be continuous efforts to eradicate poverty whether urban or rural. In the tlast few years, the Government has admitted to the existence of urban poverty, saying that the rate was 0.4% in 2004. We need to know the Gini coefficient and the poverty line that is used.

We realize that a family of five with a monthly income of RM1,500 has difficulty in surviving in Kuala Lumpur or Petaling Jaya. Both husband and wife have to do more than one jobs to supplement the incomes.

While Raja Nong Chik takes pleasure in painting such a glorious image of Malaysia on urban poverty compared with The Philippines, we would like him to let us know how KL fares compared with Singapore.

Let us have up-to-date data on urban and rural poverty in the country. We require a more realistic account on the number and the performance of urban poverty eradication programmes.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw