KOTA KINABALU: Kota Kinabalu Member of Parliament Datuk Chan Foong Hin, has reported a significant decrease in the presence of stateless street kids within the city.
This positive change, Chan said, is attributed to the heightened physical presence of law enforcement, notably the police, in Kota Kinabalu's urban centre.
"The police have no authority to arrest them unless they commit a crime.
"However, the visible presence of police, especially in the city centre, indirectly discourages these children," he told the media after launching the city police's Op Centralised Walkabout here.
Also present were Kota Kinabalu police chief Assistant Commissioner Zaidi Abdullah, and his deputy, Superintendent Kalsom Idris.
Chan, who is also the Deputy Minister of Plantation and Commodities, revealed ongoing efforts by the state government to tackle this issue.
He said plans are underway to initiate a pilot project aimed at providing shelters for stateless children.
Last year, State Community Development and People's Well-being Minister, Datuk James Ratib, announced that the government would expand the temporary shelter project for stateless children to Tawau and Sandakan.
This announcement followed a pilot project here targeting mainly children from the sea gypsy community, who traditionally reside in coastal areas and islands.
Despite the progress made, Chan acknowledged the challenges ahead, particularly concerning the sustainability of these initiatives and the long-term welfare of the children involved.
"The question arises about the sustainability of the practice and how long to shelter them (at the centre). This is also a longstanding issue that cannot be resolved within a short period."