KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 -- Buoyed by Malaysia's strong economic performance, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced last year that his administration would fully end hardcore poverty in the country by the first quarter of 2026.

In 2024, two years after assuming office, Anwar announced that Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan had fully eradicated hardcore poverty.

The Pahang government announced similar success that same year, followed by the Selangor government last year and Sabah in January 2026.

Malaysia defines hardcore poverty based on a household's ability to earn the minimum income needed to meet their basic food requirements - also called the Food Poverty Line Income - which stands at RM1,236 as of 2024.

In other w...