Welfare Department officers persuading a man found sleeping on the five-footway of a building at Jalan Temple to follow them to TTG Sibu during an operation on Monday night. – Photo by Conny Banji
SIBU (Aug 3): The success in operating and managing a temporary transit centre (TTG) for homeless persons in Sibu has set the benchmark for establishing three new TTGs in Kuching, Miri and Bintulu.
Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said TTG Sibu has proven to be successful in helping homeless individuals since the start of its operation on Dec 6 last year.
She said TTG Sibu has provided temporary shelter for 40 homeless persons comprising 29 men and 11 women from December last year up to July 21 this year.
The centre currently houses 14 homeless individuals as the rest have been discharged.
“We are working together with the Bintulu Development Authority to set up a TTG in Bintulu. We have actually worked on the design. We have the premises and location decided for TTG Bintulu.
“TTG Miri will be implemented in collaboration with Samling Company through their corporate social responsibility programme after the proposed site gets the approval from the State Planning Authority.
“For TTG Kuching, we still could not find a strategic place.
“But whatever it is, what we want at the end of the day is we have a proper place to set up our TTG and TTG Sibu has set a benchmark on how the operation and management is done.
“I am very glad that we have success stories at TTG Sibu. Success stories mean the homeless individuals will leave this place to be independent people.
“At the end of the day, this is only a transit where they are provided with training,” she said when launching an integrated operation to rescue the homeless here on Monday night.
Earlier, Henry Lee who represented the management committee of TTG Sibu related to Fatimah how they managed to help three male homeless individuals stand on their feet again.
He said two of the men were brought to the TTG while the other checked himself in at the centre.
“One of them is a former inmate and after he was brought to the TTG, we managed to find him a job as a security guard.
“The second man was a member of the civil defence force who became homeless due to family problems. He suffered from depression and after he was brought to the centre, we managed to get him reconnected with his family.
“He is taking his medication regularly and we are also trying to help him get his former job back.
“Another man came to the centre himself after he lost his rented home due to financial problems. We managed to find him a job as a car washer and he is doing well so far,” he said.
Fatimah, who is also Dalat assemblywoman, said she met two female occupants during her visit to TTG Sibu.
She said they were weaving baskets and noticed that they enjoyed what they were doing.
“They seem to be very good at weaving and they told me that they were very happy. I think that is a very good testimony of what TTG Sibu is doing.
“They are happy given the opportunity to do something that they love. But the most important thing is they have a sense of purpose.
“What we want for the homeless individuals is for them to be able to be independent and live a dignified existence,” she said.
Shan Xin Charity Association of Malaysia (Sibu branch) has been the anchor to manage TTG Sibu.
They are assisted by seven other non-governmental organisations to run the centre located at Maksak Sibu House in Jalan Sanyan here.