Marketing & Social Development
Poverty continues to remain an issue in NCER and is a barrier for education, human capital improvements and economic development. Approximately 58,000 households live in poverty with around 12,000 falling within the hardcore poor bracket. Kedah, Perlis and Perak recorded the highest poverty rate in NCER. Statistics indicate that states with higher urbanization have lower poverty rates.
| State | Ave. Monthly Income (RM) |
Poverty | Hardcore Poverty | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross PLI (RM) |
Rate (%) |
Est. HH | Gross Food PLI (RM) |
Rate (%) |
Est. HH | ||
| Perlis | 2,046 | 587 | 6.3 | 3,200 | 367 | 1.7 | 900 |
| Kedah | 2,126 | 654 | 7.0 | 27,300 | 402 | 1.3 | 5,100 |
| Pulau Pinang | 3,531 | 615 | 0.3 | 1,100 | 373 | - | - |
| Perak (T) | 2,207 | 589 | 4.9 | 26,100 | 371 | 1.1 | 5,900 |
| NCER Total | 2,637 | 620 | 7.0 | 57,700 | 384 | 1.0 | 11,900 |
| Malaysia | 3,249 | 691 | 5.7 | 337,000 | 415 | 0.7 | 41,400 |
Moving forward, NCIA will implement poverty eradication strategies that will incorporate elements of good governance and social development. In addition, these strategies will be gender sensitive, pro-poor, participatory and specifically tailored to meet the diverse nature of the poverty groups.
The NCER Social Development sector will be executed via 3 strategic thrusts:
Development of Sustainable Communities
Focusing on relocating the hardcore poor to newly build facilities with all basic amenities and employment for participants;
Instilling entrepreneurship skills in the womenfolk
Encouraging womenfolk to self-advancement, self-sufficiency and to improve their income to take on new skills that will lead to supplementing and improving the household income; and
Provision of family support programmes centering on healthcare for the hardcore poor
Ensuring access to medical assistance and insurance coverage in the event of accident, death or disability.