He said the implementation coordination unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, has set the agenda as its top priority.

“While we push for investments into Penang, we must also put an end to hardcore poverty. So the unit has a top priority, which is to get rid of hardcore poverty in the nearest time, if possible by June,” he said in a speech at the UiTM campus in Permatang Pauh here.

Anwar said he was eager to help the hardcore poor with setting up small businesses in Penang, in the same way he has helped to rehabilitate 90% of small businesses and itinerant hawkers in Kuala Lumpur.

“I have urged the housing and local government ministry as well as the state government to put more focus on Penang on this (small businesses). This is to ensure these folk, who are largely poor, don’t feel discriminated against and separated from the community,” he said.

Anwar said as the population grew, more must be done to increase the supply of affordable homes, by requiring developers to build more such homes alongside their regularly priced units. He said to date his administration has approved the building of 70,000 homes in the Klang Valley.

He said there will be more to come to Penang, too, as the chief minister has asked for such housing to be carried out.

“If possible I would bring billions … but we’ve inherited a huge debt from the past government,” he said.

Separately, Anwar dismissed a claim that his government had done away with the Tilawah Al-Quran programme. He said having “a turban, a skullcap or jubah”(clothing worn by ulamas) did not give them permission to spew lies.