KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says the RM22 billion spent annually on eradicating poverty could solve the problem if the funds were properly managed.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said poverty persisted because of leakages which prevented the funds from reaching its intended beneficiaries.
"Imagine if RM22 billion a year were managed properly, the issue of poverty could be solved," he said in a speech at the 100 Years of Za'aba Seminar in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak.
"Governments come and go, the prime ministers, the finance ministers, the parties keep changing, but the problem remains serious.
"That is why, when there is an opportunity, make this shift and change, starting from the top, leadership from the top."
Last month, Anwar said he wanted a reevaluation of government funding for the poor to ensure that aid is managed according to procedures.
He cited an example of some agencies aimed at eradicating poverty, but allocating 80 per cent of their funds for management costs.
In his speech, Anwar reminded the audience of national laureate Za'aba's (Tan Sri Zainal Abidin Ahmad) views on poverty also being a consequence of attitudes, and this was why multidimensional efforts are needed to solve the problem.
"The change must be structural, like what Samir Amin (African intellectual) said, 'Understand the society first, study the community, not just introduce a few projects'," he said.
In March, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli was quoted as saying that the national hardcore poverty rate stood at 0.2 per cent.