KOTA BARU: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said helping the underprivileged would not impoverish the country, but misconduct and poor governance could weaken and destroy it.
He said the government remained committed to assisting the poor and vulnerable while maintaining sound financial management.
This was reflected in the decision to raise civil servants’ salaries, despite the move carrying an estimated cost of RM18 billion in 2026.
Anwar said cost-of-living assistance allocated this year amounted to RM16 billion, but the commitments would not burden the country.
He was speaking at the launch of the Skim Usahawan Bangkit Negeri Kelantan here today.
Anwar is on a one-day tour of Kelantan, with programmes focused on meeting the people.
He said the government would continue prioritising assistance for the lowest-income groups, particularly those in the B40 category, as outlined in Budget 2027.
The government was also focused on empowering small entrepreneurs, particularly women, through various assistance programmes.
In Kelantan, the Sejati Madani programme for entrepreneurs had received about 4,000 applications, of which 440 had been approved.
Anwar said the government would continue approving the remaining applications, noting that most applicants were women.
He said assistance programmes in Kelantan would place greater emphasis on empowering women, citing their track record in managing small businesses and repaying financing.
Drawing on his experience with Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, he said about 99 per cent of its female borrowers made repayments, while male borrowers tended to take slightly longer.