KUALA LUMPUR: A government backbencher has urged the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) to go down to the ground and find out the actual number of household heads in the extreme poverty category, particularly in rural areas.
Datuk Seri M. Saravanan (BN-Tapah) said that based on the eKasih data, there were only 15 household heads in his constituency that have been categorised as being under extreme poverty, while in actual fact, the number of families living in absolute poverty was a lot more.
"In my parliamentary constituency in Tapah, there are many households that are under the extreme poverty category. They include the Orang Asli, the Malays and the Indians.
"I'm surprised that there are only 15 heads of households recorded in the system. I believe that this data is inaccurate and there are many more who have not been registered (in eKasih).
"I invite DOSM to go to the field, conduct their research and identify the number of families in extreme poverty in Tapah as I believe the figure of 15 people is inaccurate."
He said this while debating the Supply Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today (Nov 4).
Saravanan the registration process for eKasih must be simplified especially for those living in rural areas, the Orang Asli community, in estates and plantations, in Chinese new villages and Malay villages, as well as those staying in Hardcore Poor Housing Programme settlements.
He added that many were still unclear of the definition of poverty and extreme poverty, and were confused about the eligibility criteria to receive government assistance.
"DOSM must play a more effective role in helping to get the poor and hardcore poor to update their particulars from time to time.
"Efforts to end poverty must be strengthened, the number of people living in extreme poverty is growing because of the increasing cost of living," he added.