SDI shares findings on Kuching Urban Poor
SDI organised a sharing session today on the findings of an in-house research titled Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) & Qualitative Study Among Urban Poor: Case Study Kuching. This study was carried out with the support from the Society for Kuching Urba…
Source: Sarawak Development Institute · July 27, 2026 at 11:00 PM · AI-assisted report
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 JULY 2026 —
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SDI organised a sharing session today on the findings of an in-house research titled Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) & Qualitative Study Among Urban Poor: Case Study Kuching. This study was carried out with the support from the Society for Kuching Urban Poor (SKUP) who operate a soup kitchen in the city centre as well as providing other forms of assistance to the urban poor population of Kuching.
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Dr. Yuen Kok Leong, Research Lead (Social Inclusivity) in SDI, presented the results of the study, acknowledging the study scope covering only selected urban poor communities in Kuching and highlighting the need for more granular data on poverty due to Sarawak’s unique contextual challenges, such as geographical factors, to accurately reflect realities faced by the urban poor population. At the end of his presentation, Dr. Yuen shared recommendations to address emerging trends from the study such as including more support for naturally occurring retirement communities and integrating existing assistance with formal welfare systems. The session continued with a sharing by Mr. Peter Wong, Chairman of SKUP, where he introduced the background of the society and its purpose, helping the urban poor in Kuching regardless of creed or race, as well as the initiatives they have undertaken for more than 10 years. Attendees of the session raised questions and shared their feedback on the study especially for it to be a reference for future research on urban poverty issues as well as an expansion of the scope of respondents.
With the objective to provide inputs and recommendations on development issues for policy formulation, SDI welcomes collaborators for this study to further expand its coverage and be inclusive of more urban poor population throughout Sarawak.
About Us SDI was established on 2 November 1995. It is registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee and not having a Share Capital under the Companies Act, 1965, Malaysia. As an autonomous non-profit research institute, it is entrusted to undertake inter-disciplinary research on pertinent development issues related to the state and nation for policy inputs to the government and private organisations / clients.
Contact Us Suite 8.04, Level 8, Tun Jugah Tower, 18, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak Malaysia T: 6082 415 484 / 6082 416 484 F: 6082 412 799 Email: admin@sdi.com.my
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