Kota Kinabalu: The temporary shelter for stateless children here has been completed and is in the process of being equipped, said Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir.
“Recently, I have been made to understand that it is already completed and confirmed by the Public Works Department (JKR) that is renovating the shelter.
“Now we are in the process of acquiring the equipment and furniture so the children can be housed there,” he told reporters after officiating the Borneo-zone World School Milk Day on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor at the Sabah International Convention Centre, here, Tuesday.
He said once the shelter is fully operational, the State Affairs and Research Office (HEDNP), City Hall, Local Authorities, the Welfare Department, the police and other relevant authorities will move in an integrated manner to address the issue of children beggars.
Abidin did not specify when it would start operating, but hoped it would be functional as soon as possible.
“We do hope that it will be functional before the middle of this year as we also want this problem to be solved,” he said.
During the State Legislative Assembly sitting last November, the State Government had announced that RM250,000 would be allocated to renovate an unused government house here to address the problem.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor said the stateless children will be housed in the temporary shelter for a maximum of three months and participate in special programmes to learn basic self-management, community living skills and spirituality.
People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel will facilitate security aspects while the Health Ministry will look into the children’s health aspects. Most of the stateless children are from the sea gypsy community and traditionally live along the coastal areas and islands.
The shelter in the State Capital is a pilot project and will be done in other districts if found to be effective.
Abidin hoped the programme would curb the children’s habit of begging on the streets and knocking on the windows of motorists on the road.
“They are not criminals, they are just children who need guidance.
“We hope that once they’ve received guidance in terms of discipline, spirituality and so on, they will live nobly and not go to traffic lights to beg,” he added.
Earlier, Abidin commended the School Milk Programme (PSS) which aims to better the health and nutrition of primary school students and optimise their physical development through distributing milk for free.
“This programme should be intensified in rural areas as children there are more in need of this compared to children in urban areas,” he said.
The programme is a joint initiative of the Malaysian Education Ministry and Sabah International Dairies Sdn Bhd.
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