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Background and Purpose: Poverty, despite being a multifaceted concept, is commonly measured in either absolute or relative monetary terms. However, it can also be measured subjectively, as people form perceptions on their relative income, welfare, and life satisfaction. Poverty measurement based on objective indicators such as official poverty lines is often used to orient and prioritize policy actions. However, such 'standard' poverty measures based on household consumption or income aggregates have several shortcomings. This objective indicator does little to inform policy makers about public preferences. The main goal of this paper is to investigate multifaceted poverty measurement by combining objective and subjective measures to provide useful insights into poverty in Malaysia. In addition, this study explored the multifaceted poverty incidence among the low-income household from the perspective of zakat applicants. Methodology: Data was collected using a survey and interviews of zakat applicants under the category of poor and needy in the State Islamic Religious Council (SIRC) of Melaka, one of the states in Malaysia. Three poverty measurements, i.e., Poverty Line Income (PLI), Haddul Kifayah and Subjective Poverty Index (SPI), are utilized in this study. Findings: The PLI and Haddul Kifayah are categorized as objective poverty measures, while SPI is categorized as a subjective poverty measure. The different measures of poverty would produce different analytical results that, in turn, call for a different set of policy interventions. Contributions: These findings point to the needs of tailor-made strategies for the society to cope with multifaceted poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on living arrangements predict poor older Malaysians by sex disaggregation. The respondents in this paper are 60 years old and above in 2016, to a total n=2467 (50.8% men, and 49.2% female) from 91 districts in Malaysia. The majority poor male (64.92%), and female (60.3%) respondents are living with children. Three types of significant (p<0.05) living arrangements predict poor male respondents are living with-spouse-only (odd=8.357) with children (odd=5.141), and with relative (odd=2.514). Three types of significant (p<0.05) living arrangements predict poor female respondents are living with-spouse-only (odd=53.333) with children (odd=8.69), and with relative (odd=3.257). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining the poverty line has been acknowledged as being highly variable by the majority of published literature. Despite long discussions and successes, poverty line has a number of problems due to its arbitrary nature. This paper proposes three measurements of poverty lines using membership functions based on fuzzy set theory. The three membership functions, namely exponential, trapezoidal and quadratic sigmoid together with their calculation steps are discussed. Average monthly household incomes of Malaysians are used to illustrate the proposed poverty line. Three new sets of poverty lines were derived for 3 years as numerical application to the proposed membership functions. The numerical results show the flexibility of poverty lines resulted from the composition of the proposed functions. It suggests that the official poverty line for Malaysians is too low thus creating an underestimation of the extent of poverty in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being old is often associated with poverty, as a result of limited access to financial resources due to retirement or deterioration in health. The high incidence of poverty among the elderly is a global concern. How much the elderly have is important but how they use what they have is equally important. This paper focuses on financial practice and problems of the elderly in Malaysia. Data used in the analysis were collected in 2004 from among 2,327 elderly aged between 55 and 75 years. Samples were selected using multi stage systematic sampling. Financial practice was measured using 12 statements representing four dimensions, namely, planning, cash management, credit and investment. Financial problems were measured using seven items with two dimensions, namely, daily problems and credit management. In general, the elderly in the study performed basic financial practice (planning and cash management) but a lower percentage of these elderly performed credit and investment plans. About one third of elderly had experienced at least one of the seven financial problems listed. Multiple regression analysis conducted to explore the factors explaining variation in financial practice revealed that the model explained 20.7% variation in the financial practice score. The variable significantly explained the variations in the financial practice score were gender, age, region, ethnicity, education, home ownership, health perception, and income. A further research is needed to better understand the dynamic of financial practice among the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to examine the changes in Malaysian income distribution during the last three and a half decades and the reasons for the changes. It was found that the Gini ratio for Malaysia peaked in 1976 and fell thereafter to 1990. However, inequality seems to reverse its direction since then. Policies that could explain the changes in income distribution include the promotion of export-oriented industrialization, education, and training, and the restructuring of equity ownership and assistance in asset accumulation. While the various other redistributive measures in the form of rural development helped in poverty eradication, their effectiveness in redistribution needs to be improved. Several hypotheses have been forwarded to explain the widening of income inequality after 1990. These include the difference in the growth rates of incomes of the rural and urban areas, trade and globalization, and impediments to the process of internal migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low levels of education and low income are often associated with communities located in rural areas. This is because rural communities have many constraints in obtaining education, employment opportunities, and earning a high income. This study aims to examine the factors that cause poverty in rural communities and investigate the socio-economic position and level of educational achievement of parents and children in rural communities in Bera District, Pahang, Malaysia. This study used a quantitative method for data collection. Questionnaires were administered to 100 respondents from the community living in the Bera district. Data obtained from respondents were analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software through the Chi-square method. The study found that almost 51 percent of respondents agreed that the factors that drive poverty in rural families are the low education of household heads and the income earned by household heads based on their education level. In addition, a total of 59 respondents agreed with the issue of low education standards affecting the low level of income; 74 respondents agreed with the lack of employment opportunities in rural areas; and 59 respondents agreed that the education of the household heads makes it difficult for the children to get a good and higher education. As a result, the emphasis and opportunities on education, income, and employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas, must be increased more precisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors, such as obesity, are prevalent and increasing in Malaysia. To address this burden and the heightened vulnerability of low-income communities to these risk factors, the Better Health Programme Malaysia conducted a partial-profile discrete choice experiment (DCE) to inform the design of a community-based obesity-prevention programme. The DCE survey was conducted with community members (n = 1453) from three publicly supported low-cost, high-rise flat complexes in urban Kuala Lumpur. In the survey, community members were asked to choose between different sets of potential evidence-based interventions for obesity prevention. Their responses to these choice tasks were analysed to quantify preferences for these different health interventions using a random utility maximization model. Based on these results, we determined participants' relative prioritization of the different options. The most preferred interventions were those that reduced the price of fruit and vegetables; altered cooking practices at restaurants and food vendors to reduce salt, sugar and oil; and offered reward incentives for completing online educational activities. Community members did not prioritize several evidence-based interventions, including changes to product placement or product labelling, suggesting that these effective approaches may be less familiar or simply not preferred by respondents. The DCE enabled the clear articulation of these community priorities for evidence-based interventions that focus on the supply and promotion of affordable healthy foods within the local food environment, as well as community demand for healthier food options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reported poverty situation in Malaysia is described as unrealistic when the poverty line income (PLI) used only measures poverty through the income dimension. At the same time, many other dimensions need to be taken into account to describe the actual poverty in the country, even though the national PLI has increased from RM 980 in 2005 to RM 2,208 in 2019. However, the PLI is still important to determine who is eligible for assistance. Thus, this article aims to discuss the methods of determining poverty from conventional and Islamic perspectives. This study uses a qualitative approach that involves data collection methods by documentation and library research. In analysing, this study uses a descriptive approach method. The data collected is then analysed and clarified. This study found that the assessment of poverty according to both perspectives is the same, where the income aspect is the main criterion in determining poverty. At the same time, the multidimensional poverty index is used to look at other dimensions of poverty more holistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The actual poverty situation in Malaysia is described as unrealistic when the poverty line income (PLI) is used only measures poverty through the income dimension. At the same time, many other dimensions need to be taken into account to describe the actual poverty in the country, even though the original PLI rate has increased from RM 980 (2005) to RM 2,208 (2019). However, the PLI rate is still important to determine who is eligible for assistance. Thus, this article aims to discuss the approach of measuring poverty from Malaysian perspectives. This study uses a qualitative approach that involves data collection methods by documentation and library research. In analysing, this study uses a descriptive approach method. The data collected is then analysed and clarified. This study found that the measurement of poverty indicator in Malaysia use the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) developed by Alkire Foster as the basic framework for measuring multidimensional poverty. This study suggested that poverty needs to be seen holistically, not only depending on income-based measurement but also multidimensional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses material deprivation experienced by poor children in Malaysia. The data from a survey of 360 poor Malaysian children, age 9 to 17 years old. The study measured the material deprivation index based on the socially perceived necessities methodology. The findings implied that poor children in Malaysia experienced only a small degree of material deprivation. The results of this study provide valuable inputs for the government of Malaysia to improve its social services for children, which in the long run could help to enhance the children's well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Currently, Malaysia uses the Poverty Line Income (PLI) to measure poverty. This is because income measurement is the easiest way to collect data, but in its simplicity, it fails to capture the broader meaning and implications of poverty. Asset index is one of the non-monetary poverty measurements which have been established by researchers but not used in measuring poverty in Malaysia. A household might be poor in income, but assets may prevent them from being trapped in poverty. Design/methodology/approach: This study will reassess the poverty of 302 households in the Northern States of Malaysia using the asset index and also the current state of poverty incidence with change under asset index. Findings: The results show that households in the Northern States of Malaysia are interpreted as being 'poorer' when poverty is measured using assets as opposed to income alone. Besides that, poverty incidence of Malay households, households living in urban area and households with middle-aged heads have high poverty incidence, while households with a head of households that is single and highly educated have low poverty incidence. The logistic regression analysis shows that the determinants of poverty incidence based on the asset index are Indian, Penang and Perak State, the age of the head of household, distance to the education centre from home. Originality/value: This study shows the asset index measurement which have not been done in Malaysia. This will contribute to the improvement of poverty measurement of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the dimensions of multidimensional poverty as well as quality of life is access to healthcare services. Lower income households are often associated with poorer health conditions, making accessibility to healthcare even more important. Nonetheless, in accessing healthcare services, this group of households often faces more significant personal, financial and structural barriers compared to families from higher income groups. This study focuses on structural barrier from socio-demographic factors that affects access to public clinics among the urban poor. The respondents of this study were residents of Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) in Kuala Lumpur. Questionnaires were distributed to 585 respondents selected systematically from 30 PPRs. The results from the regression estimates that urban poor who are married, divorced, the spouse has passed away with monthly income less than RM 1000 are facing higher structural barrier in accessing the public clinics. Government is suggested to increase the operation hour of the public clinics as well as making effort to set up mobile kiosk clinic for urban poor live far and cannot reach the public clinics in their areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elderly poverty is a major concern because of the changing in demographic pattern and the fact that elderly people have limited capacity and capability to prolonged employment. This article investigates poverty incidence among people who are elderly and nonelderly in Malaysia and analyzes the factors influencing elderly poverty. This article uses household income surveys of 2009 and 2012. Data indicates that poverty incidence among elderly heads of households is relatively low. Elderly poverty is high among elderly’s female head of household, other marital status, rural area, no or informal education, live alone, not working and in states whose main economic activity is agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcredit has been recognized as one of the most efficient tools for alleviating poverty by the United Nations considering its significant contribution in terms of job creation and revenue generation for governments. Microcredit programs can change the lives of people and revitalize communities in the world’s poorest as well as the richest countries. This study looks at 350 entrepreneurs who joined the scheme of various microcredit programs in Penang, Malaysia. In this study, findings have been obtained that show that microcredit loans have successfully increased entrepreneur income, have positive impacts on business, and fulfill basic needs of entrepreneurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to analyse the impact of non-farm income on poverty and the time taken to escape from the clutches of poverty. The data used in this study is primary data which is gathered through a survey carried out on 384 agricultural households in Kedah Darul Aman, Malaysia. A face to face interview was carried out with selected respondents between the months of April and December 2008. In order to analyse the impact of non-farm income on poverty, this study used a FGT index as proposed by Foster, Greer and Thorbecke while in the case of measuring the impact of non-farm income to the time taken to escape from the clutches of poverty, we used an index proposed by Morduch. The advantage of using these two indexes is that it will enable us to examine the impact of non-farm income to poverty reduction and the impact of different income growth on the time taken to escape from poverty for both groups with and without non-farm income. As such, the question of whether a non-farm income can shorten the duration of poverty or not will be answered. The results show that non-farm income reduces the poverty rate by 42.94%, the poverty gap by 51.47% and the severity of poverty by 55.72%. The results for the time taken to escape from the clutches of poverty shows that for farmers who have income from non-farm sources, the average time taken is shorter than those who do not have a non-farm income. For instance, assuming a growth rate of 6.5% in household income, it will take an average 8.57 years for farmers with a non-farm income to escape from poverty. However, with the same rate of growth in income, farmers without non-farm income will take an average 10.74 years to escape from poverty. These results indicate that having a non-farm income reduces the duration of poverty by 2.17 years. Our study also found that in the case of the hard core poor, the average time taken by them to escape from poverty is shortened by 1.44 years when they participate in non-farm activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a cross-sectional design with stratified random sampling method to examine if the microcredit programme of the Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) improves the income of hardcore poor households. This study uses a quasi-experimental approach and selected control and treatment group members from AIM's client's base -- new and old clients respectively. It is evident that the AIM's microcredit programme increased the household's income and reduced the poverty rate among their hardcore poor clients in Peninsular Malaysia. Findings of the study indicate the effectiveness of microcredit in eradicating poverty. This programme should, therefore, focus on diversifying their products and services in order to increase outreach and decrease inactive borrowers and dropouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]