Story perspectives

Malaysia's Poverty Crisis: Sabah Leads with 254,303 Poor

2/1/2026

Summary

Story summary

As of November 2025, Malaysia's population is 34.3 million.
Datuk Mustapha reported that Sabah has the highest number of poor individuals at 254,303, with Kelantan and Terengganu following.
Other states with poverty include Sarawak, Kedah, and Perak.
The government measures poverty using household per capita income, with revisions reflecting living costs and inflation.
Datuk Mustapha said poverty assessments must be dynamic in response to a parliamentary inquiry.

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Story summary

As of November 2025, Malaysia's population is 34.3 million.
Datuk Mustapha reported that Sabah has the highest number of poor individuals at 254,303, with Kelantan and Terengganu following.
Other states with poverty include Sarawak, Kedah, and Perak.
The government measures poverty using household per capita income, with revisions reflecting living costs and inflation.
Datuk Mustapha said poverty assessments must be dynamic in response to a parliamentary inquiry.