THE government must adopt a human rights-based approach to eradicate poverty, such as including active participation of vulnerable communities in decisions that affect them, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said.

In a statement, Suhakam said the government, as duty bearers, must ensure principles of non-discrimination and equality are met, empowering every individual to claim and exercise their rights.

It highlighted that a more coordinated strategy is needed for the government’s plan, through the National Recovery Plan and the 12th Malaysia Plan (2021-2025), to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic and to eradicate extreme poverty.

Suhakam released the statement in conjunction with the annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty today to encourage concrete activities to eradicate poverty appropriate in the national context.

It said that the incidence of poverty in Malaysia persists till today, among those who are economically and socially vulnerable, which involves daily wage workers, contract workers, single parents, indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities.

In 2019, Professor Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, said that there were at least 110 different social support programmes spread across more than 20 ministries and agencies in Malaysia.

Suhakam called for all stakeholders to play their role to ensure that vulnerable communities can enjoy at least the minimum standards of a dignified life set forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Malaysia reported that the number of poor households increased from 405,400 in 2019 to 639,800, a year later.

According to the statistics department, the true impact of the epidemic in Malaysia would be better evidenced by the household income and basic amenities survey, which would be conducted in 2022. – October 17, 2021.