Dave Anthony reflects on the inadequacy of the official poverty line and on how much our world has changed.
9 April
Poverty
Has Malaysia eliminated Poverty, virtually, really?
Official Poverty line, the yardstick challenged,
The line mantra lacks credibility,
In the pandemic, line is blurred, obscured, masked.
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No time to re-evaluate, remeasure the line;
Cut the line, Face the reality!
Poverty line is the new frontline,
The poor are the vulnerable group
across ethnicities, ages, backgrounds.
Who is included, who is excluded?
Urban-rural poor, Stateless, undocumented?
Citizens, non-citizens, Bumiputera, Lain-lain, Orang Asli?
Single parents, disabled, children, elderly?
irregular-illegal, unregistered foreign workers?
migrants, refugees, jobless homeless paupers?
Who gets priority?
Small companies not obliged to pay irregulars, illegals,
No pay, no food, go hungry, no privilege
Prihatin economic stimulus package
To the rescue, but inadequate.
Corporations propped up with cash will collapse
Without the manual groundwork of the poor.
Address the underlying social conditions!
What makes the poor poor?
Carpe Diem!
Not eliminate but Eradicate Poverty!
******
10 April
Wake-up Call
The world has suddenly changed, as never before
Monumental failure of our system, as never before,
Normal way of living, no longer the same anymore
Reflection on our conduct, how have we kept score.
Government, Corporations, People
The three-cornered forces of a triangle
have failed, ruptured within the entangle.
Government dictated to by Corporations
Corporations favoured by the Government
Neither consider Peoples’ aspirations.
People torn apart in three points of another triangle
Of Race, Religion and Ideology in a huge mangle.
Racism, prejudice, intolerance, stacked in xenophobic pattern
Flattened by Covid’s domino effect.
Do we ponder and ignore failure of institutions and systems?
Or come together to secure a victory for our country and humanity.
Does Government need a new coalition?
Or a new system of governance.
Does Capitalism need an overhaul?
Or a systemic change.
Do Corporations need be only profit motivated?
Or consider an option for the poor.
Does Religion have to be politicised?
Or every religion privatised.
Does Race have to be identified?
Or nationalised.
Is Covid God’s way of bringing us to our senses?
Demanding a radical change in mindset.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
There may be several types of poverty which include
# POVERTY BY CHOICE [like the unemployable graduates and those who do not accept what is available]
# POVERTY AS A PROFESSION [local/international-millionnairs beggars in some countries-see internet]
# POVERTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO MAY HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED BY WELLOFF FAMILY MEMBERS
THE GENUINE PEOPLE IN POVERTY MAY BE SMALL IN MOST COUNTRIES.
[MIGRANTS MAY BE IN A DIFFERENT CLASS]