PUTRAJAYA: Since its launch on Feb 26, some 22,319 people have signed up for the People's Income Initiative (IPR) - the programme announced under Budget 2023, which aims to help the hardcore poor and the B40 group increase their income and overcome the challenges of cost of living.
Calling it a good start, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli (pic) said the government was targetting a 100,000 registrations for the first year.
He said 52% of the registrations were for the Food Entrepreneur Initiative (Insan) program, 29% were from the Agro Entrepreneur Initiative (Intan), and 19% were from the Services Operator Initiative (Ikhsan).
He added that 376 off takers including companies have also shown interest in installing the vending machines at their premises and buying the products churned out of the program.
He noted that Selangor, Johor and Perak were the states which recorded the highest participation.
He said more attention would be given into increasing participation from states which had a high rate of poverty such as Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the ministry was also expecting the participation to be slow in states with a higher poverty rate.
"The ministry will call the state leadership, elected representatives and the relevant agencies from the poorest districts such as Tongod, Pitas, Kota Marudu, Beluran, Kudat, Telupid, Pusa, Nabawan, Kota Belud, Jeli, Kinabatangan, Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Bachok, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Besut, Marang, Hulu Terengganu, Machang and Dungun," he told reporters at a press conference here on Monday (March 6).
He said this would also include engagements with Opposition parliamentarians and state assemblymen.
"This is among the districts that are the poorest in Malaysia. The implementation will be done in line with the aim (of implementing the programmes on a) national level with a particular focus on the 20 poorest districts in Malaysia."
"I hope this matter will not be politicised. I am also inviting elected representatives from the Opposition because a bulk of the areas in Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis involve constituencies under the Opposition," he said.
"We will call them for discussion and so that they can also convince the poor to participate in the programme," he said while adding that the applications for the programme were also being processed.
The site for the Intan initiative was expected to be launched in the first week of April. He added that the ministry was discussing with the relevant agencies to expedite the site approvals for the first round of the program which would involve 20 participants.
"The site is government land and it needs the relevant process and approvals," he said.
He said the first batch would involve around 4ha of land in Putrajaya.
"Intan has taken account the cost of site, infrastructure as well as operations including fertiliser and electricity so that the 100% of the gain from the sales can go to the participants,” he said.
A total of RM750mil under Budget 2023 was allocated for the initiative which aimed to provide opportunities to generate income for the hardcore poor.
Planting food crops, selling ready made food through vending machines and maintenance and operations services were among the initiatives laid out under the programme.
