In line with the Unity Government’s commitment to eradicate hardcore poverty this year, Tok Batin Juli Blat from Kampung Sungai Buah here is urging the Orang Asli community in his village to participate in the People’s Income Initiative (IPR) to realise the important agenda.

Juli, 54, said that after the IPR was launched in February, he immediately signed up for the programme under the Economy Ministry, which he believed could improve his family’s financial status.

He also believe the initiative could help the Orang Asli community in the village to move beyond subsistence farming and engage in agricultural projects that can positively impact their economy.

Elaborating, Juli said many Orang Asli have their own land, and it would be a great loss if these lands were left abandoned and not utilised for commercial agriculture, as the group possesses skills and knowledge in the field.

“I plan to grow cili padi due to the high demand in the market. If my application gets approved, I want to invite other villagers to join me in implementing large-scale farming.

“We hope to get input from the Agriculture Department so that we can produce quality yields to be sold in the larger market,” he told Bernama.

When tabling the Budget 2023 in February, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government had allocated RM750 million to the Economy Ministry to implement the IPR.

Meanwhile, Selangor Economic Planning Unit director Datuk Johary Anuar said an allocation of RM8,191,300 has been channelled to the state to implement IPR programmes.

Johary, who is also State Deputy Secretary (Development), said as of June 15, some 850 household heads had signed up for the IPR programmes.

Based on the Selangor National Poverty Data Bank (eKasih) statistics as of June 20, a total of 6,209 household heads in the state are under the hardcore poor category, with Sabak Bernam recording the highest number at 1,510 while Sepang is the lowest with 49.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency