Homeless under- 60 capable of working to undergo skills programme
HOMELESS people under 60 years of age, who are still able to work, will be placed in Desa Bina Diri welfare centres nationwide to undergo a recovery programme while improving their skills.
Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun said the move was to enable the group to be given skills training in certain fields to take up suitable jobs.
“Some 5,013 vagrants who wanted to change their lives voluntarily have received social assistance at Anjung Singgah, a one- stop intervention centre run by the National Welfare Foundation,” she said in response to Nurul Izzah Anwar’s ( PKR-Lembah Pantai) question on measures to resolve the issue of the homeless in Kuala Lumpur at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday.
In line with the decision of the Social Council’s High Level Committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Feb 18, Azizah said her ministry was entrusted with the responsibility to establish and head a coordination body to address the issue of homelessness in a holistic manner.
She said the action plan for tackling the issue was divided into five main focus areas, namely housing, welfare, employment, health and non- citizens, which was being drafted and would be ready soon.
At present, there are five Desa Bina Diri centres in Mersing, Depok, Kuching, Kota Samarahan and Sungai Buloh respectively.
Meanwhile, Azizah said the ministry plans to establish at least one Senior Citizens’ Activity Centre ( PAWE) in each parliamentary constituency.
“As of Sept 30, 53 PAWEs have been operating nationwide, this number is expected to increase to 59 by year end,” she said in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin ( BN-Rompin) who wanted to know the number of senior citizens’ activity centre in each constituency.
Azizah said apart from PAWE, there were 233 Health Clinics in each state also providing space for interaction for senior citizens who are still active. — Bernama