Homelessness is a shared responsibility, says BDA general manager

Haidar (front row, tenth right) and other BDA senior officers pose in a group photo with local media practitioners.

BINTULU (Jan 20): Homelessness is a big issue that must be tackled accordingly and holistically by all relevant agencies, said Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) general manager Datu Muhamad Yakup Kari.

He said though BDA was not an expert in that field, he believes that BDA shares the responsibility together with other relevant agencies to solve the issue through various programmes within each agency’s capacity such as monthly food distribution.

“This is our problem together, and don’t just simply point the finger at what BDA is doing about it, we are not a dedicated agency to deal with it, because it is a community matter,” he said of BDA’s in tackling homelessness in Bintulu during a press conference on Wednesday night.

He said for the record, BDA has allocated a piece of land for the relevant ministry to build a one-stop centre for the homeless individuals in Bintulu.

“Bear in mind, the challenge will be whether they are willing to stay there or not and I will relay this concern to Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

“The operation of this centre needs to be meticulous, and it must be equipped with all the relevant support and services,” he said.

He added BDA is aiming to transform Bintulu into a beautiful city and homelessness is one of the core social problems that needs to be tackled holistically because it is not just a welfare issue but also a health issue.

“We will find solutions, we will have a meeting with Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah next week in regards to the proposed construction of a special centre in Bintulu,” he added.

He said the issue is not to be shouldered by BDA alone as there are other agencies involved and BDA is joining the other agencies through implementation of various initiatives and programmes to tackle the issue.

Earlier, Yakup officiated the BDA Media Night 2023 and launched BDA’s official logo to mark the 45th BDA anniversary celebration.

BDA deputy chairman Dato Haidar Khan Asghar Khan also presented certificates of appreciation to Bintulu media members at the event.

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