KUALA LUMPUR: If you find yourself homeless in the capital city, do call the City Hall or the Labour Department for assistance in getting jobs.
Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said the ministry was looking at creating 500 to 1,000 jobs, in various sectors as well as 200 jobs within the City Hall.
He said the authority had taken 700 to 800 homeless people off the streets so far and sent them to training camps in order to turn their lives around.
"Due to rural-to-urban migration, there are many who come here looking for jobs. (Without support systems), this may force them onto the streets. If you are here to look for a job, you don't need to become homeless."
"Just come straight to us and we will help you get a job. For those who have entrepreneurial inclinations, we will help you find business and other opportunities," said Annuar during a visit to City Hall's transit centre for the homeless here today.
He pointed out that City Hall had allocated RM200 million annually for its maintenance work and proposed that instead of outsourcing the entire budget to private companies, they could allocate 20 per cent of it to hire homeless people to conduct in-house jobs.
Annuar said among the jobs being considered for the community were repainting government buildings, gardening and landscaping.
Those who secure a job will earn a salary of at least RM1,200 and this will be reviewed based on their performance and capabilities, he said, adding those who got jobs with private companies could make more money.
He however said that getting them to stay on would be challenging.
"That's why we want to train them. It's all question of mentality and attitude but we believe we can bring them to that level. They in turn must be serious in their work but must not take it tfor granted."
When asked whether there would be on the job training and support, Annuar affirmed that there would be no "shortcuts".
"That's why our training system has a bit of discipline. Military strategy (discipline and persuasive tactics) counselling and other such strategies," he added.
So far, Top Glove, which is one of the biggest rubber gloves producers in the world, has already hired around 20 homeless people and provided them with a place to live.
Workers hired by City Hall would also be provided living quarters.
"A labourer in the Selayang wholesale market makes RM100 a day. But this is backbreaking work so they must be strong. If they work for 24 days in a month, given six days off, they would make RM2,400 a month," said Annuar.
Nonetheless, of the 700 to 800 homeless people taken off the streets, about 30 per cent were unfit to work and they comprised the elderly, those with mental illnesses, drug addicts and those with special needs, he said.
He said this excluded those who were sent home to their families whom were unaware that their relatives had become homeless while trying to find a job in Kuala Lumpur (KL).
Annuar said he was looking into microhomes and other unique solutions to address the multiple issues facing KL including on urban poverty, homelessness and unaffordable urban housing.
He, however, declined to elaborate on the unique solutions, adding it would be done by next week.