Johor homeless centre expected to be ready middle of next year

 

The Johor state transit centre for the homeless, which is being set up in Taman Larkin Perdana, Johor Bahru, is expected to be completed by the middle of next year, the Johor State Legislative Assembly was told today.

State Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairperson Zaiton Ismail said the Johor Homeless Transit Centre is being set up by the Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) with an estimated cost of RM7.64 million.

She said for now homeless people who had been rescued from the street are being housed at Anjung Singgah, Yayasan Kebajikan Negara and a temporary shelter in Taman Perling.

She said the MBJB, Iskandar Puteri City Council and the state’s volunteer group, Southern Volunteers are carrying out preparation work at a women’s shelter in Taman Perling to accommodate homeless men soon.

"The temporary shelter is expected to be able to accommodate about 200 homeless people," she said in reply to an oral question on the fifth day of the 14th Johor state assembly sitting at the Sultan Ismail Building, Kota Iskandar today.

Johor Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairperson Zaiton Ismail

Zaiton (BN-Sungai Balang) said the state government through the Social Welfare Department would continue to help the homeless, the poor and vagrants in efforts to improve their well-being.

“In 2020, the department has carried out 132 operations to help and rescue homeless people, the poor and vagrants. The total number of beggars and vagrants who have been rescued under Act 183 is 110 people,” she said, adding that from January until June this year, 86 operations had been carried out whereby 124 people had been rescued.

The beggars and vagrants were then sent back to their next of kin, placed in institutions and shelters operated by non-governmental organisations as well as provided with employment, among others, she said.

She said this in reply to a question from Md Othman Yusof (BN-Kukup) on the state government's actions in addressing the issue of homelessness which has been highlighted by foreign media recently.

- Bernama