MP SUGGESTS GOVT SET UP SPECIAL MINISTRY TO ADDRESS URBAN POVERTY

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- A Member of Parliament suggested that the MADANI Government establish a special ministry or central agency to address the issue of urban poverty in the country more comprehensively.

Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (PH-Gombak) said that without a specific focus on resolving the issue, it is feared that existing efforts to help the urban poor will only treat the symptoms without addressing the root causes of the problem.

The federal government, state governments, and local authorities (PBT) should also work together to develop a comprehensive plan to address this issue.

bootstrap slideshow

"The country is developing so rapidly...many localities have become municipalities, and this pace has trapped some groups of society in urban poverty," he said when debating the motion of thanks on the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said the issue of urban poverty cannot be viewed at a glance because it has complex layers and networks of problems, including those affecting malnutrition, brain development, and the quality of children's learning, causing them to be left behind in the development process.

Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang) in her debate also suggested that the government refine the method of evaluating economic assistance to address the financial pressure faced by the 'sandwich generation' in the country, especially in light of the reality of an ageing society by 2036.

She said the existing assessment system needs to take into account the burden of caring for the elderly and the cost of children's education borne simultaneously by the middle class, in addition to accelerating the development of the care economy to create local job opportunities and reduce complete dependence on public health facilities.

As the cost of parents' healthcare increases, so does the cost of their children's education, and static income will create prolonged financial pressure.

"This is not only economic but also affects mental health, workforce productivity, and in the long run will impact the country's resilience and economic productivity," she said.

In the same debate, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) suggested that every government policy should include components of entrepreneurship development and education with clear and achievable targets for all parties.

He said that rapid economic development must go hand in hand with safeguarding the interests of every race to ensure balanced and inclusive national growth.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) urged the government to enhance the application of artificial intelligence (AI) tracking to address information manipulation, which currently reaches 67,735 digital crime cases with losses of RM2.7 billion in 2025.

"Digital fraud now exploits AI through image and video impersonation to manipulate victims, in addition to causing personal data breaches that threaten social stability," he said, also describing the dark industry as a serious threat to national harmony.

Therefore, he proposed strengthening international cooperation and empowering the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA), as well as strategic integration with social media platform operators to monitor fake advertisements.

The Dewan Rakyat sitting continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA