KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Putrajaya will allocate RM1 billion to its existing Keluarga Malaysia hardcore poverty eradication programme (BMTKM) beginning next year, in its commitment to eradicate hardcore poverty.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz made the announcement during the unveiling of Budget 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat this evening

"The government aims to eradicate hardcore poor by 2025. This issue will be addressed holistically through a whole-of-nation approach.

"For 2023, to expedite our agenda, RM1 billion has been allocated — RM750 million from the government and RM250 million through corporate social responsibility programmes under government-linked corporations,” he said.

Tengku Zafrul said the allocations would see economic opportunities provided to some 50,000 hardcore poor households in the country.

"This programme will provide economic opportunities to more than 50,000 hardcore poor households by raising their income through agriculture, service and entrepreneur projects.

"Assistance provided included training, starting modal, agriculture incentives, marketing and digitalisation,” he said.

He said these efforts would hopefully lift the hardcore poor above the current food poverty line income of RM1,169.