PN govt to continue working with private sector, financial institutions to reduce COVID-19 impacts

He said on top of combating and monitoring cases, every nation, including Malaysia, is forced to re-assess all that has been done and is to be done.

"And though COVID-19 has brought us much challenges and pain, it has, at the same time, brought us all together to think on what’s best for the people – be it their health, their jobs and incomes as well as their social well-being and welfare," he said.

Muhyiddin was speaking at the Malaysia Urban Forum (MUF) 2020 theme 'The Transformative Pathway and Actions To Deliver The Sustainable Agenda' here, today.

Also present were Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) executive director Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif.

Muhyiddin said poverty remains a growing concern to the government, despite many policies and programmes introduced.

"With the recent revision of the National Poverty Line Income (PLI) from RM980 to RM2,208, more than 400,000 households have fallen within this level that is 5.6 per cent of Malaysians," he said.

He said he had gone to the ground himself to visit the residents of Desa Setapak People’s Housing Project (PPR) here in August to look at the condition of the urban poor in the area.

He said many of them were petty traders, working as taxi and lorry drivers while many are self-employed and they are facing increasingly challenging livelihood daily.

“Among the areas which could be improved is the local community centre by having activities to enhance skills and entrepreneurship as well as empowering the education of their children for a better future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin hoped that urban farming would continue to ensure no hunger and malnutrition amongst Malaysians and to help reduce the burden of poor households, especially those living in urban areas.

"Since the pandemic, we have seen relentless efforts in urban farming carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Housing and Local Government as well as by the local communities," he added.