Nancy: Findings of review of Destitute Persons Act 1977 to be completed in Sept

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Nancy (left) sharing a light moment with the residents of Desa Bina Diri at Jalan Datuk Muhammad Musa here.

KUCHING (March 25): The decision on whether to formulate a new law or improve the Destitute Persons Act 1977 to tackle the issue of beggars can only be made known after the review of the Act.

In stating this, the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Nancy Shukri said the review of the Act will begin in July and is expected to be completed in September this year.

Speaking to the press when met at Desa Bina Diri at Jalan Datuk Muhammad Musa here today, Nancy said the ministry is still conducting a study on the Act and has yet to initiate any working plan with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to deal with the homeless beggars that are currently placed in the institution.

“As for now, to have some sort of cooperation with the Ministry of Health, we have not reached that decision yet.

“We are conducting a study about the Act on whether to amend or improve it, as we need to have valid reasons and also to see from a holistic view, of whether it is required by the MoH or other ministry.

“We want to know the depth of the issue, so that we can improve the Act,” she stressed.

Under the Act, adult beggars of a Malaysian citizen aged below 60 who have no family members will be placed in Desa Bina Diri, a home run by the Social Welfare Department (JKM), while those aged above 60 are sent to Rumah Seri Kenangan, which is also under JKM.

Desa Bina Diri was established to provide care, protection and rehabilitation for beggars and the underserved to produce productive and skilled individuals towards the positive change of attitude and to reintegrate into the society.

There are five institutions in Johor, Selangor, Pahang, Sabah and Sarawak that are homes for the destitute, including beggars.

On the total number of beggars and homeless persons placed in Desa Bina Diri throughout the country, Nancy said that there are about 11,000 individuals placed in the institutions.

“If in the whole of Malaysia, there are about 11,000. But here there are only 37 places in Desa Bina Diri, where most of them have mental health issues.

“Unlike Sarawak, those who are placed at Desa Bina Diri also consist of those who are looking for jobs. When they finally get a job, they will rent elsewhere,” she said, citing Desa Bina Diri in Selangor as an example, where it is mostly occupied by those who have no mental health issues but are struggling to pay rent.

“They are those who cannot afford to pay rent, so they are allowed to live there. The situation there is different from Sarawak,” she said.