GEORGE TOWN, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- Penang recorded zero heads of household (KIR) in the hardcore poor category since September after showing a consistent decline since Feb 2025, based on the latest records of the Penang State Development Office and the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU).
Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Muslim Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the zero figure was the result of a field data whitening process and the ICU only displayed cases registered in the eKasih System after cleaning the list.
“The number zero does not necessarily mean that there are no poor people, it may mean that there is no registered record of a person who is confirmed as hardcore poor on the date of the report.
“The hardcore poor data received by the state government is from ICU in Prime Minister’s Department (JPM),” she said when winding up the debate on the Supply and Development Budget Bill 2026 (State Budget 2026) at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.
She explained that ICU went to the field to conduct a census and carry out a whitewashing process before confirming the hardcore poor list.
Lim said the hardcore poor criteria are set for a household per capita income of less than RM315 while the state government through Bantuan Agenda Ekonomi Saksama (BAES) has increased the household per capita rate to RM322.
“Once a family is identified and confirmed as hardcore poor through an income assessment and data verification by the relevant agency, a coordination meeting will be held involving all departments and agencies involved.
“This meeting aims to identify the forms of intervention and assistance that can be channeled by each agency including the Social Welfare Department (JKM), Penang Zakat Management Centre, Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER), District Offices and Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) Offices.” he said.
He said the ICU plays the role of the main coordinator in ensuring that every follow-up action is implemented in an orderly and comprehensive manner.
-- BERNAMA
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