Fatimah: 64 homeless people rescued in S’wak as of February

Fatimah speaks during the coordination meeting on the homeless.

KUCHING (Mar 1): As of February, a total of 64 homeless people were rescued in 30 integrated and targeted operations that have been carried out in the state so far this year, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

“Of the total, Miri Division recorded the highest number of homeless people rescued at 26 persons (41 per cent), followed by Kuching Division with 19 rescued (30 per cent) and Sibu Division seven (11 per cent),” she told a press conference after chairing the first series of Coordination Meeting on Sarawak’s Homeless, Monday.

Fatimah informed that the operations were conducted in eight divisions, and in addition to the three mentioned, others include Samarahan (with four rescued), three each in Sarikei and Limbang, and one each in Sri Aman and Bintulu.

She also said that for the whole of 2020, 83 operations were carried with a total of 237 homeless people rescued and placed at various temporary shelters.

The minister added that in 2020, Kuching Division recorded the highest number of homeless people who were rescued at 90 persons, followed by Bintulu Division with 43 persons and Sibu Division with 41 persons.

According to Fatimah, in order to strengthen social support for the homeless, especially in the big cities and towns, more Temporary Transit Centre for the Homeless (TTG) are needed.

“In Sibu, a Homeless Transit Place (TTG) is being built. The construction and renovation process has started on January 30, and is expected to be completed on July 29 and it should be operational by August,” she said.

As for the TTG in Kuching, she said it will be a slightly different approach that is a result of a public-private initiative, which will be located at Jalan Abell.

“The Borneo Best Support Centre (BBSC) in Kuching will be an integrated community support facility that serves not only as a transit shelter for the homeless but also a shelter and training centre for women affected by social issues, as well as a soup kitchen and community food bank.

“It is a centre of collective responsibility within the community that provides awareness, advocacy, treatment and referral of vulnerable groups, and also first social information report destination, tracking, guiding and counselling. It also conducts capacity building,” she said.

She added that the centre will be operated by non-governmental organisations and volunteers, and will have homely and non-institutionalised features to cater to the target groups.

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