Helping the poor won’t bankrupt govt, says Anwar

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized today that a country cannot become poor by helping its poorest citizens, as it is not the real threat to the economy. Speaking at the launch of an entrepreneur scheme in Kelantan, Anwar reiterated that corruption, financial leakages and poor governance were the actual dangers to the nation's economy. He stressed that the government's responsibility is to ensure a wider distribution of the benefits of national development.

Anwar highlighted that the government has allocated RM16 billion this year for assistance programmes for low-income groups, alongside increases in salaries and wages. He pointed out that no country has ever become impoverished simply from providing aid to the needy. The prime minister also announced an additional grant of about RM200 million to bolster the capacity of small-scale entrepreneurs, especially those from low-income groups.

He explained that such financial assistance can yield significant returns for traders when directed towards their specific business needs, citing examples such as the purchase of essential equipment like refrigerators to preserve stock.