Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has given the assurance that 338 hardcore poor households in Selangor would be uplifted from poverty by December.  

She said the ministry was carrying out a special programme under 1Azam (End the Era of Poverty) to help the poor generate a monthly income of more than RM440.     

"Our machinery has gone down to the field and identified programmes to be carried out under 1Azam, an initiative of the National Key Results Area (NKRA), comprising the Azam Tani, Azam Niaga, Azam Kerja and Azam Khidmat projects according to their needs, interests and capabilities.     

"The main criteria we will consider is the need to be registered with eKasih and the family income is below RM440," she told a news conference in Shah Alam today after handing over money and food baskets to 1,000 poor households from 22 parliamentary constituencies in Selangor.     

Also present at the event, organised by the ministry, was Deputy Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Noriah Kasnon, who is also chairman of the Selangor Women and Family Development Council.    

Shahrizat said Sabak Bernam had the highest number of hardcore poor households in Selangor, followed by Sungai Besar and Tanjong Karang. 

Help to generate income

She also said that the 1Azam programme would also focus on 6,639 poor households in the state through continuous guidance.      

"This guidance will be based on a social entrepreneurship approach which is a productive welfare concept. All the 6,639 poor households have registered with eKasih and the heads will be offered opportunities in the jobs sector, business and farming.      

"Those involved in these projects will be able to optimise their potential based on their skills to allow them to generate income and improve their family's quality and standard of living," he said.      

Poor households are those which have a family income of less than RM750 a month, while those with an income of less than RM1,500 are categorised as borderline poor.      

MOF to simplify loan processes  

   

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is studying ways to simplify loan application processes to new entrepreneurs, said Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah.     

He said the ministry has received feedback from applicants on difficulty getting loans as banks asked for financial record and collateral.     

"We will study loans by SME Bank, Agro Bank, Tekun Nasional, Amanah Iktiar Malaysia and commercial banks to simplify processes," he said after launching 'Empowering Remove Classes: Eliminating Future Poor' workshop in Universiti Malaya today.     

Husni said the government might announce relaxation for borrowers in Budget 2011 in Oct.

- Bernama