Although Malaysia has done well in terms of equity and accessibility in health, the future threats of globalization, emerging and re-emerging diseases, environmental degradation, water and sewage problems may not only affect the health of future Malaysians but may pose a threat to our plan to eradicate poverty. Realising these concerns, the Prime Minister, in his recent address at the Eight Langkawi International dialogue called on the people to ‘restart and reenergise’ the debate on poverty with the aim of what the government could do to reduce and eradicate poverty. He proposed the creation of more income generating programmes for the poor to enable them to have better access and use of various resources, including labour, physical capital infrastructure and technology. The development of medium and small scale industries is to empower youth and women to improve their economic situation and indirectly the health status.