Kuala Lumpur: The Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has been given the mandate to intensify efforts to eliminate hardcore poverty in the Federal Territories in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s commitment to the national agenda of hardcore poverty eradication. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the initiative needed to be strengthened through the implementation of government assistance schemes targeting groups that are truly in need.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, each agency must improve its quality of work, maintain governance, and ensure efficiency in the implementation of tasks within the scope of their respective agencies. This was one of the key messages the Prime Minister emphasised when he met the staff of the Prime Minister’s Department at the monthly gathering at Dewan De’ Seri Endon, PUSPANITAPURI, Putrajaya. Mohd Na’im also attended the monthly gathering.

The Ministry of Economy had previously announced that based on the eKasih National Poverty Databank as of Dec 31, 2024, the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Perlis had achieved zero hardcore poverty.

Meanwhile, ahead of the Ramadan month, Mohd Na’im stated that all religious affairs agencies headed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) had begun making thorough preparations. He mentioned that all the major mosques under JAKIM as well as mosques and surau under the supervision of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) must start preparing from now.