KUALA LUMPUR: An ex-soldier and his family who have been living under the Loke Yew Bridge here have been relocated to a transit home at Flat Seri Johor.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun said the family would live in the transit home for a week while the ministry finalises matters with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and other government agencies.
"We hope to provide them with better housing and for their children to be given aid under the Social Welfare Department (JKM)," she said after visiting the makeshift "home" of ex-soldier Suria Mohamad Hassan, 59.
Suria, his wife Azariyah Abd Aziz, 43, and five children aged between three and 14 have been living in the hut since November 2019 as they could not afford to rent a house.
Rina said the family cooked using a wood stove and had no electricity in the makeshift hut, which has no roof and with walls made of scrap plywood.
"This family has no record with JKM, so we will provide immediate assistance. We do not want Suria and his wife to give up and we hope the children will have a brighter future," she said, adding she also instructed JKM to provide psychological support to the family.
Earlier, the Veteran Affairs Department of the armed forces also said they would monitor its retirees and added that the family had been contacted and assisted by the department and the Federal Territory Baitulmal last week.