GEORGE TOWN – The Penang government is identifying a new area to set up a temporary shelter for the homeless to ensure their safety as the country battles the Covid-19 epidemic.
State Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the proposal to house more than 150 people now living on pavements and five-foot ways around the Komtar complex here was approved at a state executive council meeting recently.
"However, we are still looking for a suitable area to replace the Caring Society Complex, which is now being used as a low-risk quarantine centre," he told The Vibes.
Phee said the Welfare Department will conduct regular monitoring every night to ensure the safety of homeless people around Komtar and in other areas.
As for food management, Phee said, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) is ready to provide food four times a day to homeless people.
He said the authorities are also advising vagrants who may have a residence to go home.
“There are also homeless people who have a house, but do not want to go home due to family constraints," he said.
In March last year, Penang became one of the first states to provide a temporary settlement centre for the homeless in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The centre, which opened at the Caring Society Complex for more than four months, was fully funded by the state government and also received support from NGOs and the public. – The Vibes, January 15, 2021
