In a statement commemorating the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, it said vulnerable groups included daily wage earners, contract workers, single parents, indigenous people and the disabled.

“It was reported that the number of poor households increased from 405,400 in 2019 to 639,800 in 2020.”

The human rights body urged the government to adopt a human rights-based approach to eradicate poverty, adding that a more coordinated strategy is crucial to ensure all plans and policies will be enforced effectively.

“This should include active participation of vulnerable communities in decisions that affect them, a government commitment to fulfil its obligations, ensuring principles of non-discrimination and equality are met, and empowering every individual to claim and exercise their rights.

“Suhakam calls for all stakeholders to play their role towards the realisation and protection of the rights of the vulnerable communities and to ensure that they are able to enjoy, at the very least, the minimum standards of a dignified life set forth by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).”