LETTERS: Covid-19 has had a significant impact on many people, especially vulnerable populations. The economy has become unstable; increasing disparities, poverty and suffering in the Bottom 40 per cent group by disrupting distribution networks and worsening inequalities and difficulties.
During the pandemic, more than 951,000 people have lost their jobs and household income fell by RM41 billion. According to Bank Negara, Malaysia's gross domestic product growth was between -2 and 0.5 per cent last year, down from 4.5 per cent in 2019.
This will significantly impact the goals for poverty reduction by 2030. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of alleviating poverty by 2030 is expected to be a significant struggle with Covid-19, as global poverty continues to rise.
Therefore, it is important to concentrate on the poor's involvement and empowerment to improve the community-driven development (CDD) approach, demand-driven development and social capital.
CDD involves transferring responsibility for community development, project design and assessment to the communities. The participation of the poor can help them become self-sufficient and financially independent, thus improving their wellbeing.
Perhaps now is the time to embrace a community-based responsibilities (CBR) approach, a set of processes, programmes, strategies and activities that contribute to the long-term viability of a community.
CBR emphasises people's direct participation, with a focus on interpersonal and social connections, as well as the institutions that shape everyday lives.
CBR aspires to bring a deeper and more in-depth understanding of poverty by gaining better knowledge of its origins and the poor's situation from their viewpoint, as well as putting poverty-reduction strategies in place. Cooperation, respect and involvement are hallmarks of CBR.
To improve the poor's standard of living, poverty alleviation programmes must be meticulously designed and initiatives must be prioritised in all economic agendas.
The government has launched many measures to help people amid the pandemic, including Pemerkasa Plus (RM40 billion), Permai (RM15 billion) during the Movement Control Order 2.0 and a new RM40 billion aid package for MCO 3.0.
These strategies must be improved further to guarantee that no vulnerable individuals are left without adequate support.
To achieve this, during the Covid-19 outbreak, Universiti Teknologi Mara researchers employed the CBR approach and an expert group decision-making process to rank the social and economic needs of the poor.
Research shows that education is a key social need, while access to employment is the most important economic need. For example, impoverished communities may lack access to devices and computers, causing many students to drop out of school.
About 1.85 million, or 37 per cent of the five million pupils in the country, do not have a device, making it impossible for them to attend online classes. The pandemic has caused alarm in the academic systems across the world, including Malaysia.
According to the Statistics Department, the unemployment rate fell to 4.8 per cent in the fourth quarter after reaching a high of 5.1 per cent in the second quarter of last year. A big worry now is that the poor will be more vulnerable to economic shocks caused by widespread unemployment or underemployment.
Dr Roshima Said
Associate Fellow, Accounting Research Institute; Professor, Faculty of Accountancy, Universiti Teknologi Mara
Dr Mahadir Ladisma @ Awis
Director of Community Network Centre, Office of Industry, Community and Alumni Network; Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Administrative Science & Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara
Salmiwati Othman
PhD Candidate (Education Management), Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Deputy Registrar, Universiti Teknologi Mara
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times