PKR calls for discussions following UN’s report on actual poverty line being between 15 and 20pc
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The recent revelation of Malaysia’s poverty rate being at 15 to 20 per cent as mentioned by the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights has led Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to call for discourse and discussions to address the issue at the federal level.
A statement released by PKR’s communication bureau today, in acknowledging the findings from the UN’s special rapporteur, called for more effective measures to be put in place to remedy the situation.
“Keadilan has discussed the statement issued by UN’s special rapporteur Philip Alston concerning the level of poverty in Malaysia including the issue of the poverty line.
“Keadilan is of the position that the report of UN’s special rapporteur should be followed by broad and holistic discourse and discussions to assist Pakatan Harapan to formulate economic programmes than can bring in positive results, especially for the lower income group,” read the statement.
This was in response to Alston’s statement on Friday rubbishing official government data from 2016 that placed only 0.4 per cent of local households living under the poverty line.
Alston had said Malaysia’s actual poverty rate could be standing between 15 to 20 per cent, attributing the inaccurate data to the country’s unrealistic and outdated poverty line measurement of RM980 for a household of four per month that was mainly utilised in the 1970s.
Meanwhile, PKR also called for all its members to continue fighting for the people in conjunction with upcoming National Day celebrations, for them to contribute and take part in National Day-themed activities.
The party also announced nationwide conventions called ‘Two Decades of Reformasi’ will be held in every state in October, as a run-in towards their Annual National Congress slated to take place in December this year.
Additionally, the statement included that till August 15, the party currently has 9,509 members, with 220 registered branches nationwide.
“This will potentially make Keadilan a political party with a presence in almost every Parliamentary constituency in the country,” it read.
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