KUCHING: Sarawak ranks third highest in terms of number of homeless people rescued, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.
“During the movement control order (MCO) from March 28 to June 8 this year, a total of 145 homeless people were rescued, whereas from June 9 to October 30, a total of 53 homeless people were rescued,” she said, adding that 276 homeless people were rescued between 2016 and last year.
She said this at a press conference after chairing a Sarawak Women and Family Council (MWKS) meeting at Baitul Makmur II here today.
She said 83 homeless people were placed in six temporary transit centres for the homeless in Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, and Limbang.
“A total of RM145,398 was spent to provide food assistance to the homeless in Sarawak during the MCO, channelled through the Disaster Management Committee at the divisional and district levels in five phases,” she said.
Fatimah said the Transit Centre for the Homeless (PTG) in Sibu was currently under renovation.
“The state government has allocated funds to repair and upgrade the Sibu Malaysian Government Servants Welfare and Sports Council (Maksak) building to be used as the first PTG in Sarawak,” she pointed out.
She said the centre would be able to house 40 homeless people at any one time, providing them a transit point to sleep and receive food at night.
She added that the PTG would be equipped with consultation and health screening areas as well as a place to allow corporate organisations to donate rations.
“We hope that we will also be able to establish a car wash centre next to the PTG to provide jobs for the homeless,” she said.
