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STATEMENT BY

MR. MUHAMMAD ZULASRI BIN ROSDI

ADVISER/ LONG-TERM DELEGATE

PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS

 

AT THE GENERAL DISCUSSION OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE OF THE

78^TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

ON ITEM 21: ERADICATION OF POVERTY AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AND                                              

 ITEM 23: AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT, FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION

 

 

Mr. Chair,

 

Malaysia aligns itself with the statements made by Cuba on behalf of the G77 and China, as well as Vietnam on behalf of ASEAN.

 

2. As highlighted in the Secretary-General’s report on eradication of poverty, around 670 million people were living in extreme poverty in 2022, an increase by 70 million compared to pre-pandemic projections. If current trends continue, 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. This worrying regression underscores the urgency of global efforts to address the issue, which further highlights the importance of implementing effective poverty alleviation strategies, fostering economic growth, and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for vulnerable populations.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

3. Malaysia firmly believes that poverty eradication is a shared objective of the international community. Like many countries globally, Malaysia focuses its efforts to address multi-dimensional poverty issues by reducing inequality and improving income disparity, as well as narrowing the development gaps. These efforts, among others, include implementing policies needed to generate economic growth that benefits the less-privileged, active investment in basic social services like education and health, as well as an integrated and comprehensive social protection system.

 

4. The Government continues its initiatives, which involve dedicating RM 1.1 billion to projects aimed at creating income opportunities for specific demographic groups in order to eradicate extreme poverty. This year alone, the Malaysian government has spent more than USD 215 million to accelerate poverty eradication programmes in the country. The programmes among others, have increased the income of more than 50,000 extreme poor households whereby recipients were provided with appropriate training, start-up capital and incentives for agriculture, marketing and digitalisation projects.

 

5. In addition, we have effectively reshaped our economy, elevated living standards, and transitioned from a low-income to an upper-middle-income economy in a single generation. Furthermore, our gross national income (GNI) per capita has expanded about 38-fold, from USD 347 in 1970 to USD 13,382 in 2023, whereas incidence of absolute poverty has reduced from 7.6 percent in 2016 to 6.2 percent in 2022. Moreover, the Government has allocated RM 1.1 billion for the period 2023 to 2025 in efforts to strengthen security and reap the benefits of cross-border economic development, which would assist in narrowing the income gap ratio between rural and urban areas from 0.57 in 2022 to 0.67 in 2025.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

6. Malaysia also continues its efforts to tackle food security issues by developing the National Food Security Policy Action Plan 2021-2025 and the National Agro-Food Policy 2021-2023 (DAN 2.0). These national policies are in line with the four pillars outlined by the Food on Agriculture, namely availability, access, utilisation, and stability. We remain cognisant of the need to raise the levels of self-sufficiency for staple foods, wherever possible, as the prices of food commodities become more volatile and higher due to the impact of climate change and COVID-19, as well as increasing input costs. To recap, in a regional collective effort, the ASEAN nations have recently agreed to prioritise helping each other overcome rice supply shortages and other food-related issues, as one of the endeavours to ensure food security in the region.

 

7. On agricultural development, Malaysia is implementing its National Agricommodity Policy 2021-2030, aiming to propel the growth of the agricommodity sector in a manner that is both environmentally responsible and economically competitive. We hold the view that the Policy aligns with evolving global standards and embraces the growing adoption of digital technology. Our ultimate goal is to empower small-scale farmers to engage in modern, technology-driven agriculture, thereby fostering the development of 'smart' agricultural practices. We believe through the facilitation of technology incorporation in agriculture, this not only empowers small-scale farmers but also enhances sustainability and efficiency in food production.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

8. In conclusion, Malaysia firmly believes that the SDGs on no poverty and zero hunger, respectively are closely intertwined and equally vital in driving our collective journey towards fulfilling the 2030 Agenda. In that context, Malaysia welcomes collaboration with fellow Member States and stakeholders to eradicate poverty and fortify the global food systems' resilience.

 

I thank you.