NILAI, June 24 — Hardcore poverty in the country needs to be eradicated this year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Therefore, the entire government machinery, especially the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) and its agencies, must work towards ending it.
“This year, we must eradicate and put an end to hardcore poverty including in Negeri Sembilan,” he said when launching the Sentuhan Kasih Desa programme, earlier today.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, Negeri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun, and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
Anwar said KKDW is also a strategic ministry that is able to help people of various races and ethnicities.
The ministry should not only focus on big and mega projects but rather should try to help the people get out of poverty.
“We cannot just talk about the high-speed railway, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, semi-detached buildings, Putrajaya and so on, but the poor do not have enough to buy milk for their children, they do not have enough to buy school clothes, so we have to prioritise that.
“We want the people to see for themselves what the government is doing, including the Negeri Sembilan government, and not to use the political space to attack others,” he said.
Meanwhile, Anwar reiterated the call for all school toilets nationwide to be repaired this year.
“If we talk about great economy, the salaries of the ministers, and special ambassadors are all high, but the school toilets cannot be repaired, that is why I say we must settle this issue this year for our children,” he said.
— Bernama
