Economy Ministry defends People’s Income Initiative as participants report strong sales
The Economy Ministry said most participants in the People’s Income Initiative’s vending-machine scheme are earning over RM2,000 a month, with two outliers making more than RM13,000.
Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Nasir responded to MP Syahir Che Sulaiman’s query by stating that 929 of the 1,228 participants in the IPR vending-machine component are achieving cumulative sales of more than RM2,000 each month, with two sites - Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Machang and Sungai Buloh Hospital - posting average monthly sales above RM13,000. The initiative, launched in 2023 by former economy minister Rafizi Ramli, also comprises the Intan group-farming programme and the Ikhsan service-worker scheme, covering 6,781 households from the hardcore poor, poor and B40 categories as of Aug 31.
Intan’s 2,034 participants report that roughly 65% earn at least RM2,000 monthly from MD2 pineapple, chilli, corn and eggplant cultivation, contributing to RM22 million in cumulative revenue since 2023. A chilli project involving 20 participants yields over 200 tonnes of produce worth about RM1.5 million, with each participant earning roughly RM3,000 per month. Former factory worker Rosli Jumain now earns nearly RM3,000 monthly through Intan, compared with RM1,700 in his previous job. Human Resources Minister R Ramanan had earlier criticised the programme’s funding, which Rafizi clarified as split 50% to Intan, 30% to Insan vending machines, and 20% to Ikhsan services.
Why it matters
The story shows how Malaysia's poverty-relief scheme is performing and the political debate over its funding and impact.
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