A healthy looking beggar in action in front of a gaming outlet.
MIRI: Though Miri is now a city, it is still not free from beggars and vagabonds.
A survey by The Borneo Post two days ago found that these beggars and vagabonds usually station themselves at gaming outlets where they beg without shame for money from those going in and out of the outlets.
Members of the public met at the scene gave various reactions to their presence.
“Yes, I always see them in front of punting outlets and it is very shameful to see them begging when they are obviously healthy enough to work,” said a man in his 30s who declined to be named.
“These people should be earning their money like the rest of us instead of expecting us to give them our hard-earned cash,” he added.
However, he admitted that there were some genuine beggars; physically handicapped or senior folks, saying they could be tolerated as they might not be able to work for a living.
However, he believed that this group of people could be helped to fend for themselves.
“I really hope the authorities concerned will go to the ground and look into this problem as well as find solution to stop these people from begging,” he said.