ISKANDAR PUTERI: The urban poor are encouraged to take part in the Usaha Kasih (U Kasih) programme as part of the initiative to eradicate poverty.

The Prime Minister's Department's Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) director-general Datuk Ruji Ubi said the programme, which was started in Johor in 2019, would be extended to other states.

"We want the poor to be independent by providing short-term training courses for them," he told reporters on Tuesday (May 17).

Ruji said this during a visit by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi to the Usaha Kasih Johor showcase at Datuk Jaafar Muhammad building in Kota Iskandar here.

He said there were six economic activities for the poor to choose from under the programme.

They are food processing, services, agriculture and fishery, tailoring, automotive and electronics.

"There are about 200,000 households in the country categorised as hardcore poor and poor with a household income of RM1,169 and RM2,208, respectively," said Ruji.

He said the government's target was to reduce the number of hardcore poor and poor by 2025.

Ruji said the ICU was also in the midst of developing applications where consumers could make an online booking for services and buy products from the U Kasih participants.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/05/17/icu-usaha-kasih-programme-to-be-extended-to-other-states-to-eradicate-poverty