In a recent revelation at the Dewan Rakyat, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad disclosed that a beggar, who was found driving a sport utility vehicle (SUV), has been stripped of his monthly welfare allowance.
The decision was made after the individual was asked to cease begging formally, given his employment as a shift supervisor at a bus company with an estimated monthly income of RM2,000, reported NST.
Noraini highlighted that the beggar, who previously received a monthly allowance of RM450 designated for persons with disabilities, would no longer be eligible for assistance from the Welfare Department.
“The individual is employed as a shift supervisor at a bus company with an estimated monthly income of RM2,000. He cannot receive assistance from the Welfare Department any longer,” she said.
This decision comes following media reports last month which shed light on the beggar’s unconventional circumstances.
Responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat), Noraini stressed on the ongoing review of the Destitute Persons Act 1977. The aim is to refine mechanisms for addressing poverty and homelessness more effectively.
The study, anticipated to conclude by the middle of this year, seeks to identify provisions and conduct comparative analyses of laws related to homelessness, begging, and urban poverty from other countries.
“The study is to identify provisions and conduct comparative studies on laws related to homelessness, begging and urban poverty in other countries. It would determine whether a new law is needed to tackle the issues”, Noraini stated.
