The Johor government is committed to completely eradicate hardcore poverty in the state by 25th March 2025.
According to State Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid, 235 cases were recorded as of 3rd Nov last year, despite an earlier success in reducing hardcore poverty to zero on 31st July 2024.
“Previously, we managed to bring down the number from 4,378 cases in March 2023 to zero by July last year, thanks to coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.
“However, new data shows that 235 households are facing extreme poverty as of 3rd Nov last year, and we must address this immediately,” he said after a briefing on poverty eradication and the Johor Dapur Kasih 2025 programme at Kota Iskandar, co-chaired with the state’s Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Khairin-Nisa Ismail.
Fared stated that in order to resolve these cases before the Special State Development meeting on 25th March, which is chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, all agencies involved must step up their efforts.
He said he was confident that the state government, elected officials, local government, and district offices would work closely together to accomplish the goal, as they had in previous attempts.
“To help struggling families increase their household income, Johor has implemented targeted programmes like the ‘Dapur Kasih Johor’ and ‘Keluarga Angkat’ initiative,” he said.
This year’s budget allocation for Dapur Kasih Johor increased from RM3.2 million to RM3.9 million, benefiting 3,261 households, further demonstrating the state’s commitment.
According to Fared, in order to prevent recurrence, hardcore poverty is a dynamic issue that needs to be continuously monitored and data updated.
“Every quarter, we update data, including recipients of aid from the Welfare Department and the Johor Islamic Religious Council.
“Our mission is not just to eradicate hardcore poverty but to ensure no families fall back into hardship,” he added.
