From this CNA news YouTube channel, we get to know that Thailand facing crisis of increased number of poor in that country. In year between 2015 and 2018 there are about more 2 million who living in poverty (World Bank report). Some of the reasons behind the increase in poverty in Thailand are slower in economic growth, drought and income inequality. From the news, it’s also stated that Thailand’s national poverty line is about US$2.80 (RM 11.93) a day. CNA reporter had an interview with one Thailand low wage worker named Wipa Dosoh. Wipa Dosoh work alone by selling mix rice. With only 200 baht a day she need to take care of her husband who unable to work (health problem), elderly parents and 2 children. She can’t afford to by KFC meals or can’t even give 5 baht for her daughter. They also having electricity and water supply cut off due to poorness. Thailand poor household are still vulnerable to shocks and weak financial condition. Thailand had 1 of the lowest GDP growth rate in the region at 2.7% fourth quarter in 2019. According to the World Bank, Thailand is the only country in ASEAN that experience several increase in poverty since 2000. With the Covid-19 outbreak, much slower growth rate expected a higher poverty rate cannot be ruled out. (221 words)

This video discuss about the poverty problem in Indonesia. The number of Indonesian in absolute poverty has halved in last 20 years but the number of 'near poor' is rising. According to Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance of Indonesia, it is not easy for Indonesia to create more resiliency in terms of the growth that can create jobs and reduce poverty. This is because there is a mismatch between the government's capabilities and the people's expectations. Due to rapid technological advances and widespread use of social media, people can connect and share their feelings faster such as the impatience feeling to the government. She recognized that many policy makers are constantly challenged with the ability to manage the expectation of people. The people expect the government is not only giving the answers but the solution that can solve the poverty problem. However, it is almost impossible for any policy makers to satisfy.  (153 words)

Pada tahun 2017, Menteri Kewangan Indonesia telah ditemuramah oleh CNA Insider mengenai kemiskinan di Indonesia. Beliau mengatakan bahawa golongan bawahan yang berjumlah  empat puluh peratus dari jumlah penduduk. Mereka bergerak untuk keluar dari status kemiskinan tetapi pergerakan mereka itu terlalu perlahan. Seterusnya beliau juga mengemukakan satu persoalan bagaimana Indonesia harus lakukan bagi meningkatkan pertumbuhan ekonomi  dalam mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan dan mengurangkan kemiskinan. Pada pendapat beliau perkara ini sukar dan bukan mudah untuk dilakukan kerana terdapat perbezaan atau "mismatch" antara keupayaan kerjaan dan jangkaan oleh rakyat. Antara cabaran yang terpaksa dihadapi oleh kerajaan dan pembuat dasar adalah ketidak sabaran oleh golongan bawahan. Perkara ini berlaku kerana penigkatan teknologi yang pesat dan penggunaan media sosial yang meluas. Dengan adanya media sosial, rakyat dapat berhubung dan dapat berkongsi perasan mereka dengan lebih cepat. 

In this news the presenter talks about how Malaysia measures poverty or who Malaysia categorises as poor. According to the Malaysia's government,  households earning below RM 980 in peninsular, below RM 1020 in Sarawak and below RM 1180 in Sabah are considered as absolute poor in Malaysia. This income threshold is called the Poverty Line Income (PLI). The UN special  rapporteur who visits Malaysia in 2019, said that Malaysia's data of poverty is not accurate, where the actual poverty rate is about 16% - 20%. But Malaysia government dismisses UN Rep's claim of high poverty rate. However, a lot of research that agrees with the UN Rep's criticisms. The World Bank categories Malaysia as an Upper-Middle income country which would raise its official poverty line amount to USD 5.50 per day. According to Prof. Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, he stated that Malaysia's poverty is still rated based on the measurement framework as in 1950's - 1970's and because of this our poverty line figures stand a bit low. Malaysia government must change the measurement of poverty according to the state of the development in the country, he added. In the 10th Malaysia Plan, government focuses on the low-income segments, specifically the bottom 40% (meaning the 40% with the lowest income) which consists of 2.4 million households. According to SPV2030, the income disparity between the T20 and B40 has grown from RM 1935 in 1989 to RM 10,148 in 2016. The poverty cannot only be measured based on one dimension as only the household income, but there are also some other factors that have to be measured too. The SPV2030 aims to provide a decent standard of living to all Malaysians, and it has its sight set on achieving income equality. In Budget 2020, the government plans to raise the minimum wage  to pushing for providing access to water and electricity to the rural parts of Sabah and Sarawak.

This video discusses poverty in Malaysia. The actual statistics by the UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights show that the poverty rate in Malaysia is between 16% to 20%. The World Bank categorises Malaysia as an upper-middle income country which would raise its official poverty line amount to USD5.50 per day. According to Prof Datuk Dr Denison Jayasuriya, a principal research fellow of National Institute of Ethnic Studies (UKM), he stated that one needs to change the measurement of poverty is according to the state of development in the country. The concept of relative poverty can be applied to what Dr Denison said. Poverty should not defined solely by income, so the government implemented Multidimensional Poverty Index, MPI to solve poverty problems more effectively.

One of the reasons contributing to poverty is that the poor from rural areas migrated to cities hoping to get a higher income and better life but failed to achieve it. Besides, there are 7 millions poor in the country and more than a quarter of them are elderies. Most of them rely solely on the 600 Baht provided by the universal social pension as their monthly income. Among the regions in Thailand, the deep south has the highest poverty rate, a large number of men and youth are at risk due to the conflict environments. Some of the ways to solve the issue:

According to Minister of the government's office and chairman of the National leading committee for rural development and poverty eradication said the main cause of poverty in the four provinces were related to poor or non-existent road access. He also said although the poverty rate in Laos has declined in recent years , the number of poor villages in four provinces remain as high as over 50% of the total villages. The causes of poverty are the lack of road access, lack of clean water and limited income generating opportunities. In points ally province the number of poor villages were 60% of the total villages. This provinces no accessible all year-round roads.  While the rate of poor villages in Adams are 54.5% of the total villages. The rate of poor villages in Waupun province are 58.2% of the total villages. Lastly the rate of poor villages in say kong province are 58.1% of the total villages. Five years ago, the government try to prioritize its budget towards rural development and poverty reduction. Then, the government come out with five-year plan to allocate permanent land plots and provide job for them. Past three years the number of poor families has declined by 4.1% of 2013 the number of poor families has decreased 10% of the total nationwide. The government also declined 9.4% of the country's total families by 2050.

Asia is estimated to have the largest number of people in extreme poverty. According to a 2016 World Bank report, of the 766 million people who live under the poverty line of nearly two US dollars a day, about a third live in South Asia, and nearly one in 10 in East Asia and the Pacific. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines has its own challenges in the fight against poverty. One of them is hunger. As the data from social station survey, 60% of the households in Philippines are food insecure (not have the ready means to feed themselves) because of the poverty. Also the reason of poverty was due to the climate change and corruption in that countries. (119 words)

Poverty in the Philippines is more common than other Southeast Asian countries with half of the population still living below the poverty line. Although poverty in rural areas is typically higher, urban poverty has been increasing in the last few years. Unemployed and workers with low wages who cannot afford housing are main contributors to the poverty rate. Besides, natural disasters and an underdeveloped agricultural sector also play a major role. All funding helps provide opportunities for children in poverty to learn, grow and build skills that help them have a positive effect on their peers and communities. Hence, the Philippine kids are getting the support they need to break the cycle of poverty for good. (116 Words)

Malaysia’s poverty rate at 15% much higher than the official figure of 0.4%. In 1970, official poverty rate dropped from 49 percent to 0.4 percent in 2016. However, the national poverty line is too low than 240 US dollars per household every month. That’s mean that urban family of four surviving on less than 2 US dollars a day. Four states in Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak puts the country’s poverty rate at least 15 percent the most vulnerable group, orang asli a group of population who still struggling with poverty. Prof Philip Alston said that almost one in six Malaysian is poor. In addition, urban poor about 30 percent of the city where people can live in low income because the poverty line is low. 

Low-income families are engaged in non-office jobs such as garbage collection and motorcycle rental drivers, and have no retirement age restrictions.  As long as they have the ability to work, they can always work.  Compared with rich people, poor parents will have more time to play with their children and the family will be more united.

Some Singaporeans have no income. A survey from the Housing Development Board showed that one-third of Singaporeans living in one or two room flats have no source of income. Additionally, an Ipsos APAC and Toluna study found that 62 percent of Singaporeans state that their dissatisfaction is a result of their personal financial situation. However, as in most societies, there would be those who for reasons of disadvantaged family background, poor health condition, physical or mental challenges, or misfortunes are unable or less able to access available opportunities leading to better paying jobs and a decent quality of life. Clearly, without a leg-up from the state, community, and fellow Singaporeans, the multiple disadvantages they experience would likely perpetuate their poor material condition, as well as produce a strong sense of hopelessness about their own future and that of their dependents. Singapore is known as an affluent society or, at the very least, a middle class society. It has a vibrant, adaptive knowledge-based economy which produces much opportunities for employment and social mobility. It has enabled most Singaporeans to enjoy a significantly high standard of living, including quality housing, healthcare and education.  

There were very few living in poverty in 2019 and the UN Special Rapporteur said this figure was not accurate. They believed should be higher. The World Bank categorises Malaysia as upper-middle income country which would raise its official poverty line amount to USD5.50 per day. This means the USD1.90 line is deliberately low. So, we need specific policies and programs. However, even if poverty line is raised, it’s not helping to reduce poverty problem because the poor are not a homogenous group. The causes of their poverty are different. So poverty shouldn’t be defined solely by income. Since 2016, the government has started using Multidimensional Poverty Index.
(118 words)

This video posted by a you tuber named Mark Nowhereman who tells a story about a poor mother and her 4 children. She is 36 years old.  3 girls and l boy. Her son was adopted by someone due to economic situations. Every day, she had to sell cheese sticks, kikiam, squid balls, fish balls and french fries to feed her family. She’s been doing it for 10 years now. Every day, she needs to pay her debt. Her capital for her business was from a debt. Her business revolves around loan debt. She needs to pay the loan shark creditor 100 Pesos (2 Dollars) per day.