Breaking away from the cycle of poverty: The case of Malaysian poor

• Poverty alleviation programme in Malaysia are based on poverty line income.
• Poverty is multidimensional; poverty alleviation programme should also be multidimensional.
• Poverty alleviation programme should be based on poor who has come out of poverty.

This paper observes the poverty issues examined in Malaysia and proposes the need to study the poor who have broken the poverty chain. Most studies generally focus on only the poor, their reasons for being poor, various poverty alleviation methods and poverty with regard to measurement. However, it will be more insightful if studies are carried out on the poor who have broken the cycle of poverty. Research conducted in several countries on those who have come out of poverty indicate far-reaching implications to all stakeholders. Hence, such studies in Malaysia would give a better understanding of how some of the poor have broken the shackles of poverty and are leading a better life. It would be very valuable to understand the strategies they used in real life situations to overcome the fetters of poverty.