Page 153 - IJPS-11-6

International Journal of
Population Studies Urban poverty framework for B40 in Malaysia

level factors. In particular, there is limited research in the By integrating data into actionable strategies, the
Malaysian or Southeast Asian context that examines urban framework highlights a responsive mechanism for
poverty through the combined lens of socio-demographic addressing multidimensional poverty. It also underlines
profiling, livelihood resilience, and rural-urban migration the importance of tailored interventions that align with
drivers. The framework presented in this study addresses life stages and household vulnerabilities. The next section
this gap by offering a responsive model that not only discusses the methodology used to operationalize this
identifies key vulnerabilities among the B40 group but also framework, including the research design, data collection,
proposes differentiated strategies based on life stages and and analysis techniques applied.
resource accessibility. This contribution seeks to expand
the existing discourse by aligning empirical findings 2. Data and methods
with practical, scalable interventions that reflect the
complexities of urban poverty in emerging economies. 2.1. Study area
We conducted this study at the PPR Kerinchi, Kuala
1.4. Conceptual framework
Lumpur. PPR Kerinchi is one of the housing areas
The conceptual framework adopted in this study, as developed for low-income groups, with the objective of
illustrated in Figure 1, presents a structured and integrative providing affordable and comfortable housing for the B40
approach to addressing urban poverty among Malaysia’s community. This area, situated in Kerinchi, Kuala Lumpur,
B40 group. It consists of three main stages: input stage, is one of the low-income housing locations within the
process stage, and output stage. metropolitan city. Based on official records, there are 1,895

The input stage focuses on the collection of demographic residential units in PPR Kerinchi, whose residents belong
and socioeconomic data, such as employment status, to the target group of this study.
household income, and urban living conditions. These data 2.2. Research instrument
points inform the design of targeted intervention strategies
that reflect the actual conditions of the urban poor. This study utilizes a specially designed questionnaire
tailored to measure various aspects of the well-being of the
In the process stage, intervention strategies are
developed and categorized according to two primary B40 heads of households (HoHs) in PPR Kerinchi, Kuala
demographic groups. For the working age group Lumpur. While the questionnaire does not have a formal
(20 – 59 years), the focus is on skills enhancement, name, it serves as a comprehensive tool to gather data on key
employment access, and income generation through areas, including demographic information, employment
vocational training and partnerships with the private status, income level, and urban living experiences.
sector. For the post-working age group (60 years and The questionnaire consists of five sections: section
above), the emphasis shifts to healthcare, financial A (respondent profile), which includes age, gender,
assistance, and broader social support systems. marital status, and the number of dependents; section B
The output stage outlines the anticipated outcomes, (socioeconomic profile), covering employment status,
which include improved well-being, increased income, type of job, household income, and sources of financial
and reduced socioeconomic disparities among urban support; section C (perceptions regarding the pandemic’s
communities. This framework enables data-driven, stage- implications), such as changes in income and job stability;
based planning and evaluation, offering policymakers section D (information on received assistance and
a practical tool to implement inclusive and sustainable programs), which identifies aid types (e.g., cash transfers,
poverty alleviation strategies. food aid, and training programs) received during or after
the pandemic; and Section E (strategies and planning
during the pandemic), exploring respondents’ coping
strategies, long-term livelihood planning, and savings
behavior.
The estimated time to complete the questionnaire was
approximately 10 – 15 min. Each question was carefully
designed using a 5-point Likert scale to capture nuanced
responses and ensure data accuracy. The scaling options
were as follows: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree,
Figure 1. A responsive urban poverty framework for the B40 group in 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree, and 5 = Strongly agree. For example,
Malaysia one item asked, “I feel that my current income is sufficient

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 147 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.6558