Govt focus on increasing household income, Rafizi says on getting rid of poverty

Increasing household income is the government's immediate focus, and poverty eradication will come on its own, says Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.

He said the government was investing in infrastructure in a bid to create sustainable income-generating programmes.

Speaking to reporters after attending the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia Power Chat and launch of the 17th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention in Putrajaya yesterday, Rafizi said infrastructure was not just machinery, but income-generating assets for participants or recipients from low-income families.

Rafizi said once there was progress on increasing the income level of households, some of the factors taken into account in the multi-dimensional poverty index would improve, for example, access to the internet and health.

"As income level increases, the quality of life also increases, so the focus is on increasing income level. With better income, they can manage the cost of living better and afford to have access to all other features of the multi-dimensional poverty index," he said.