Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur | June 2011
MYR 4.17 (USD 1.33, EUR 0.99).
This is based on Malaysia’s average national poverty line of MYR 800 per household monthly income.
There were 228,000 poor households in Malaysia (3.8% of the total) in 2009, significantly less than the 8.5% poverty incidence in 1999. In the 10th Malaysia Plan announced in June 2010, the Malaysian government stated given the relative success in addressing poverty, the focus would be shifted to the bottom 40% of the population, which consisted of 2.4 million households, with programs planned to help low income households increase their earning potential. The government provides 11 years of free public education for all citizens, and primary health care service is free in the rural areas are free, and charged a nominal fee of MYR 1 in the urban areas. General monthly allowances are also given to low income families to help with general daily needs.
Malaysia’s national poverty line income (PLI) is MYR 800, and the average size of poor households is 6.4, according to the 10thMalaysia Plan. The PLI is an absolute poverty line. Food expenditure is calculated from the price of a standard food basket that would meet the nutritional requirements of each surveyed household; daily requirements are fixed for each demographic e.g. 2,385 kcal per day for a 30-59 year-old male. The non-food PLI is based on the expenditures of surveyed households whose total expenditure were 20% higher than the food PLI. The PLI is tracked for each region (Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah). Data is compiled by the Department of Statistics during its Household Income Survey and Household Expenditure Survey.
Note: Latest available standards and exchange rates were taken as of January 2011, when the photography was undertaken.
Understanding More
Poverty Alleviation With A Focus On Vulnerable People – Malaysia Country Report