KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia would formulate a poverty eradication and hunger alleviation plan which will be presented for international collaboration among the Group of 20 leading economies.
The Malaysian government has been asked to submit a strategy for the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty plan, led by Brazil as the G20 chair, he said during prime minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat, today.
"We know that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is very familiar with poverty eradication programmes because he has a strong sense of responsibility to eradicate extreme poverty in a short period, even though the scale is vast (in Brazil)," Anwar said.
"(Hence,) we have been asked to submit our framework and the implementation of programmes in Malaysia for review and to be jointly executed," he added.
Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has successfully introduced various programmes such as opening up of land schemes, educational opportunites and skill training for its population to help boost their income and quality of life.
Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari (PH-Sungai Petani) had earlier asked Anwar what were the key issues raised at the APEC Summit in Peru and G20 Summit in Brazil, as well as the results of the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic Summit in Riyadh.
Lula opened the recent G20 summit gathering by launching an alliance to curb world hunger, which he called a "scourge that shames humanity."
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the Implementation Coordination Unit and the Economic Planning Unit under the Prime Minister's Department would prepare the plan.
On combating corruption, he said Malaysia would strengthen cooperation with Brazil and Peru to eradicate the menace.
"I have asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to be prepared (to assist), he said.