ELC590

ARTICLE 2

Homeless in KL
Posted on Monday, 19 Jul 2010 ; 3:17 PM MYT
by Joshua Foong and Shaun ho
The Star Online

A fact sheet on the homeless by the Welfare Department estimates there are about 2,500
individuals who are living this way.

Among this group are those who are destitute with no means of supporting themselves, beggars
and vagrants, drug addicts, mental patients and even those who have jobs but cannot afford
housing.

There are a multitude of factors leading to them taking to the streets for refuge, but the more
sad ones are because of family issues.

Conclusion 1

Some run away from home because of violence while others have been ostracised by their
family members because they are drug addicts or suffer from AIDS.

However, the fact sheet describes the presence of the homeless as “disturbing the peace of city
dwellers and affecting the image of the nation, especially to tourists.”

The Welfare Department frequently works with government agencies such as the police, City
Hall, Labour Department as well as the National Anti-Drug Agency in joint operations to take
them off the streets.
Recommendation 2
The homeless would then be put into institutions, some which offer skills training to those who

Recommendation 3

are still productive, or old folks homes, all of which are located in other states. Kuala Lumpur
CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wa said the homeless did not necessarily add to crime.

“However, some of them may fall victim to drug addicts desperate for some money. Some have
been robbed and injured,” he said. He added that the police could not arrest them unless they
had committed an offence.