KUALA SELANGOR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government will establish an urban farming programme to help ease poverty in cities.
Anwar, in response to a question on the cost of living in urban areas during the Dialog Madani session at the Central Zone Madani Rakyat Programme closing ceremony today, said that urban poverty could be resolved through agriculture.
He said the Malaysia Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi), Agriculture Department and other agriculture-related agencies needed to look into urban farming.
"There must be this shift because there is a need for more targeted agricultural projects in urban and suburban areas.
"So, I hope within a month, starting today, there will be programmes by the relevant ministries regarding a shift from continuing what is being done, to agricultural production," he said.
Present at the event were Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and other ministers.
Commenting on targeted subsidies, Anwar said the measures to be announced by the government would not burden the people, especially those in the B40 and M40 groups.
"If say we increase crude oil or cooking oil, if we increase it by RM2, we will not burden consumers. It means the B40 and M40 groups don't have to pay extra because we'll credit it to their accounts.
"Based on the amount of oil used every month, so from the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR), we will give RM20 (to the B40 and M40 groups). Don't worry, the oil price will remain the same for these groups," he said.