Fair and inclusive policies key to effective poverty alleviation

The Star

a day ago

AS Malaysians grapple with rising living costs and growing financial uncertainty, it is both right and necessary for the government to introduce poverty alleviation measures.
However, no policy should seek to help one group at the expense of another. A truly effective anti-poverty strategy must be fair, balanced, and sustainable.
Let's be clear: helping the poor must not mean punishing others. If a policy intended to "care for some" ends up "hurting many more," it deserves urgent review.
MyKasih and Jualan Rahmah: Noble intentions, flawed implementation
While MyKasih and Jualan Rahmah were launched with good intentions to support low-income households, their execution has created selective benefits and structural imbalances.
This is especially harmful to small and medium-sized retailers, particularly in non-urban areas.
1. MyKasih – Targeted aid, but at what cost?
MyKasih restricts recipients to spending their aid only at designated chain supermarkets. This excludes countless small, family-run shops in kampungs and towns that have faithfully served their communities for years.
This raises serious concerns:
Who is supporting the small traders who form the backbone of local economies?
Why must one group's relief come at another's downfall?
Even more troubling, many beneficiaries live in rural areas and must travel far to access approved outlets. This contradicts the principle of accessible, local aid. Meanwhile, excluded grocers lose customers with no way to appeal or participate.
2. Jualan Rahmah – Low prices with hidden costs
Jualan Rahmah may appear to offer consumer relief, but in truth, it's government-funded price suppression for certain products, in certain places, at certain times. It benefits only a narrow group, while placing immense pressure on the wider retail sector.
When these sales happen repeatedly in the same locations, nearby shops and markets face crushing, unfair competition. It's like saving one patient by evicting others from the ward—what seems compassionate causes broader harm.
Our government must not act as both referee and player. Using taxpayers' money to distort the market ultimately hurts the very small businesses that also pay taxes and employ Malaysians.
A call for fair, inclusive policy
Real poverty alleviation must not create new winners and losers. It must support inclusive growth and protect everyone striving to make a living. If MyKasih continues to exclude local traders, and Jualan Rahmah stays concentrated in select areas, the imbalance will only deepen.
The government's role is to set fair, sustainable rules—not run supermarkets. Let us not fight poverty by dividing the rakyat. We must aim for policies that lift everyone, not just a few.
DATUK DR MAH HANG SOON
MCA Deputy President