Page 156 - IJPS-11-6

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

Table 2. Cross‑tabulation of employment status by age group stability of a household, particularly for the B40 group
residing in urban areas. Access to sufficient savings
Employment 20 – 39 40 – 59 60+years Total provides financial security in the face of emergencies and
status years (%) years (%) (%)
(%) the rising cost of living challenges (Zolkifly et al., 2023).
Employed 35.0 60.5 4.5 100.0 For the B40 group, sufficient savings can help reduce
Unemployed 40.0 50.0 10.0 100.0 financial burdens in the short and long term (Mohd Khan
et al., 2018; Suhaimee et al., 2020).
Part-time employed 25.0 55.0 20.0 100.0
Source: Field study, 2023. The findings reveal a critical vulnerability among
respondents, as 62.6% reported having no savings in either
a current or savings account. Only 37.4% indicated that
Table 3. Chi‑square test results regarding the association
between age group and employment status they had some form of savings. Among the groups with
savings, the majority had minimal reserves – 17.1% of
Age group Employed Unemployed Part‑time Total respondents could sustain household expenses for only
(years) 3 – 4 months, 14.4% for 1 – 2 months, and only a mere 6.0%
20 – 39 39 45 28 112 could manage for up to 6 months. These statistics reflect
40 – 59 67 56 61 184 the low level of financial preparedness within this urban
60 + 5 11 22 38 low-income group and indicate that most B40 households
Total 111 112 111 334 are ill-equipped to face unexpected economic disruptions.
This low level of savings highlights the urgent need for
proportion of part-time employment, likely due to limited financial education and the implementation of accessible
full-time opportunities or reduced capacity to work. This micro-savings programs tailored to low-income urban
statistical validation provides empirical support for the populations. It also reinforces the rationale behind the
responsive framework’s strategy to segment interventions responsive urban poverty framework, which emphasizes
based on age group vulnerabilities. long-term economic resilience through increased financial
literacy, better income security, and stronger social support
The study reveals a significant association between systems.
marital status and income stability among B40 HOHs
in PPR Kerinchi. Married respondents were more likely These findings clearly underscore the financial
to experience unstable or no income compared to other vulnerability of the B40 urban group, highlighting the
groups. This reflects the heavier financial burden typically urgent need for targeted interventions that enhance
borne by married individuals, who often have more financial resilience and social protection systems tailored
dependents to support. to the realities of low-income urban households.
In contrast, single respondents tended to have more The study findings reveal widespread employment-
stable income, possibly due to having fewer dependents related vulnerabilities among B40 HoHs in PPR Kerinchi.
and lower financial commitments. Widowed or divorced A total of 78.4% of respondents reported that their
respondents showed more varied economic conditions, income was negatively affected due to urban employment
with a more balanced distribution across income stability challenges, while 76.6% of respondents were unemployed
categories. These patterns highlight the need for tailored at the time of the survey. In addition, among specific
policies and financial assistance that consider household employment instability events such as the pandemic,
composition as a key factor in determining economic well- 48.2% of respondents experienced job loss, 27.2% had
being. their working hours reduced, and 24.6% transitioned to
working from home. These overlapping disruptions reflect
Taken together, these findings highlight the complex the fragile employment landscape for low-income urban
and interconnected challenges faced by the B40 residents and underline the multifaceted nature of urban
community in PPR Kerinchi. Addressing these issues poverty.
calls for a comprehensive policy response that integrates These results also align with the report published by
skill development, financial assistance, and targeted Khazanah Research Institute (2024), which highlights
social support, as outlined in the proposed conceptual the growing need for structural employment reforms
framework.
and emphasizes the importance of combining financial
The next discussion is about financial savings. Financial aid with long-term strategies such as skills training and
savings play a crucial role in evaluating the economic inclusive job creation. This reinforces the rationale for the

Volume 11 Issue 6 (2025) 150 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.6558