KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has set up three locations where non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals can send their donations, including food, during the Ramadan fasting month.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the three locations include Anjung Kembara at the Kuala Lumpur Transit Centre for the Homeless, the Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Centre, and the Chow Kit Community Learning Centre.
“This is part of an initiative to control food quality and maintain cleanliness in Kuala Lumpur,” she told the press after participating in an operation to help the homeless in the city centre today.
Dr Zaliha said 10 NGOs will be working with DBKL to facilitate the distribution of food at the Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Centre and the Chow Kit Community Learning Center, while another 16 NGOs will assist the National Welfare Foundation (YKN) at Anjung Kembara.
“We cannot stop the NGOs that want to help. All we are asking is for their cooperation in liaising with the Community Development and Urban Wellbeing Department at DBKL,” she said.
Regarding today’s operation, which began at 1am, Dr Zaliha said 150 homeless people were rounded up and brought to the Medan Tuanku Homeless Service Center by 2.30am, with the number expected to increase before the operation ended at 4am.
Based on observations made on February 14, she said there were 414 homeless people in five hotspot locations in the city, adding they were brought to Medan Tuanku to record their demographic data and to identify the best solution to help them.
The data will also be used as a reference by the ministry and its agencies when reviewing the requirements of existing policies or regulations.
The operation involved 203 personnel from DBKL, the Royal Malaysia Police, the National Security Council, YKN, the Malaysian Immigration Department, the National Registration Department, the National Anti-Drug Agency, and the Social Welfare Department.
— Bernama
