MIRI: Housewives from the low-income group are encouraged to take up small businesses as a way to earn income for their families.
In this way, said Assistant Minister of Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin, they would be able to help their families get out of the poverty cycle.
“The type of business that they can easily do is selling vegetables and jungle produce which are now in high demand in the city,” he said when officiating at the presentation of cheques to the needy under the Urban Poverty Abolition Programme (PPKB) at Miri City Council (MCC) Club House yesterday.
The Senadin assemblyman also said the government through the local authority gives its full support by providing appropriate trading venues for those interested to be traders.
“We welcome those who want to start small scale business but you cannot simply start your business anywhere you want. You have to apply for the trading permit and can only trade at the area provided by the council,” he said.
On the event, he said 22 needy people received assistance under the programme.
He explained that PPKB was launched in 2006 by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government which is now known as Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government with the objective of abolishing urban poverty and reducing the number of hardcore people from 3.8 per cent in 2009 to 2.0 per cent next year.
The target groups under the programme are poor families with income below the poverty line as determined by the Department of Economic Planning.
According to the urban poverty guideline, households earning RM960 a month are categorised as poor and those with income of RM630 a month are hardcore poor.
Among others, the assistance given are in the form of housing rent, urban housing where the government assists the recipients to build new houses or repair their existing houses, voucher worth RM80 a month under the Titipan Kasih to the hardcore poor for buying basic necessities like rice, flour, sugar and milk; skills training and entrepreneurship programme, Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 assistance, hawkers kiosk and free tuition for school children.
Also present were Miri mayor Lawrence Lai and deputy mayor Mohd Chee Kadir.