KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — The Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub intends to make efforts to tackle hardcore poverty as his ministry’s main agenda under Budget 2023.

He said the efforts were the priority of the Unity Government, besides being the national agenda under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"We target to resolve this issue. According to statistics, there is nearly 127,000 hardcore poor nationwide. So, this is the target group we will prioritise,” he told reporters after the launch of the Paris Baguette Cafe in Pavillion, Bukit Bintang, here, today.

He also hoped that the Finance Ministry would address his ministry’s request for an allocation to be used for the hardcore poor group under Budget 2023.

Asked to comment on the Amanah party’s meeting yesterday, Salahuddin, who is also Amanah deputy president, said the party had mobilised its machinery for the coming state elections.

"The next step is for us PH (Pakatan Harapan) to hold an early meeting with Barisan Nasaional so that we can resolve issues such as seat (distribution), so we have started,” he said. — Bernama