‘Hardcore structural poverty has a counterpart at the apex: hardcore structural affluence.’
– Louis O Kelso, US political economist
WHEN American economist Louis Kelso stated that “hardcore structural poverty has a counterpart at the apex: hardcore structural affluence”, I guess we understand what he meant and share his sentiment at the same time.
The quote highlights the idea that both poverty and wealth are not simply individual phenomena but are also products of larger societal and structural factors.
Hardcore structural poverty and affluence are not just temporary or individual situations but are deeply embedded in the economic, political, and social systems of society.
I believe I must have repeated this statement every time the subject of absolute poverty is broached.
There is no reason why there is hardcore poverty in Sarawak when we are blessed with rich natural resources to be shared by only three million Sarawakians.
Seriously, I believe no Sarawakian has to be poor. The same goes for a nation like Malaysia with a population of 30 million.
There are many underlying factors why people remain trapped in the quagmire of poverty but the key one still boils down to corruption at the centre of power.
Corruption can exacerbate poverty and make it more difficult for individuals and communities to escape it.
When corruption is rampant within a society, resources that should be allocated towards addressing poverty — such as funds for education, healthcare, and infrastructure — can be diverted or stolen by those in power.
This can leave impoverished communities without access to the resources they need to improve their lives and climb out of poverty.
Corruption is also likely to lead to the mismanagement of public resources and a lack of accountability for public
officials, which can undermine trust in government and further erode the social and economic systems necessary for reducing poverty.
Overall, corruption deepens and perpetuates poverty, making it more difficult for individuals and communities to improve their economic circumstances and quality of life.
Malaysians must be happy to hear the recent declaration by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that the government wants to completely eradicate hardcore poverty in the country.
“Disgraceful” was the term he used to describe absolute poverty in a country which is rich in resources such as oil and gas.
“It’s humiliating for a country that has enormous resources such as oil and gas, palm oil and various industries (but) cannot solve the basic problem of hardcore poverty in our country,” he said.
The prime minister said among the states that still recorded high levels of hardcore poverty are Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah.
I want to believe that Anwar means well and is determined to improve the lives of Malaysians but as always, it’s easier said than done.
Other prime ministers had also made similar declarations of eradicating corruption but their efforts had not produced the desired results.
In August last year, the then Economy Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the target of zero hardcore poverty in the country by 2025 can be achieved through various initiatives and programmes implemented by the
government.
He said the initiatives include the implementation of the Keluarga Malaysia hardcore poverty eradication (BMTKM) programme, introduced under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
“The government has allocated RM36 billion under the 12MP to eradicate poverty and set aside RM150 million for the BMTKM programme.
“By the end of 2025, the government will declare that there are no more hardcore poor families in Malaysia,” the former minister added.
A rather ambitious target but with the change of government and a new prime minister, will the planned programmes be scrapped? I hope those plans deemed sound and achievable will be continued whenever there is a change of government. It only makes sense to do so.
Malaysians should also be glad that Anwar has spoken up about hardcore poverty and that the PM is aware that corruption is the biggest obstacle in its eradication.
Anwar has stressed: “We must focus on management and governance. Malaysia can become a prosperous nation if only we can manage the country well.
“And this will require us rejecting the scourge of corruption as well as abuse of power and use government machinery to protect people’s welfare and maintain harmony in multiracial Malaysia.”
I have written extensively over the past months on the new prime minister’s anti-graft crusade and why Malaysians must support him on this important quest.
At the end of it all, Anwar’s success in his anti-corruption drive will also help bring about a better quality of life for Malaysians
The anti-graft crusade will play an important role in the prime minister’s determination to eradicate hardcore poverty.
Ensuring that the prime minister receives the support of Malaysians for his dual plans to eradicate corruption and hardcore poverty is a win-win situation for everyone.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.
