Hardcore poor nearly doubled in Kelantan

Compiled by C. ARUNO, FAZLEENA AZIZ and R. ARAVINTHAN

THE number of heads of household under the hardcore poor category in Kelantan has increased from 9,000 to 14,000 as of early this year, Kosmo! reported.

Kelantan State Development Office director Jasri Kasim said the figure was based on the Statistics Department’s raising of the poverty line on Jan 31.

“The increase has become a challenge for us in ensuring the success of eliminating hardcore poor in the state.

“At the same time, the number of heads of household under the poor category in the state has also gone up from 68,000 to 78,346,” he told reporters at a dinner with the media in Kota Baru.

The office is under the Prime Minister’s Department’s Implementation Coordination Unit.

> Noriza Heryati Mohamad Zukri, 40, and her husband Izzat Amir Adam, 45, have maintained their satay price at a minimum of 70 sen per stick for the past two years, Harian Metro reported.

The couple usually prepare about 800 sticks for grilling a day.

The skewers sell out within two hours.

Noriza Heryati said some customers had even “chided” her for selling her satay so cheaply.

However, she said she and her spouse had never thought of raising prices.

“I know the cost of goods has increased but our principle is that everyone should be able to afford satay.

“We understand the plight of the underprivileged.

“Before we started this business, my husband was working at a factory,” she said when met at her stall in Taman Dato Lela Maharaja in Rembau, Negri Sembilan.

Although they do not make huge profits, she said they are grateful for the continuous blessings that come from their customers’ support.

Their satay prices range between 70 sen and RM1.50 per stick depending on the meat.

The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a, it denotes a separate news item.