The Malaysian Insight

TRADERS in Kuala Lumpur are angered by the presence of homeless folk near their business premises, saying it causes a drop in sales.

“Since the homeless started hanging around here, my business has seen a drop of 50%,” Abdul Rahman Taib, 55, who has been operating the Middle Town Bistro in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee for three years, told The Malaysian Insight.

“There have also been incidents where they defecated next to my bistro. This has affected my sales and I’ve seen a significant drop in customers.”

He said he had previously hired the homeless, but had to fire them because they had a drug addiction.

“I tried to help them, but they don’t want to help themselves. I hope the authorities will conduct more raids to tackle the issue.”

Shin Sow Lin, who manages a handbag and accessories shop, said there had been a decline in the number of tourists at her business.

“When tourists enter, the homeless harass them. Some tourists are kind enough to give them money, but they keep asking for more.”

Shin who has been working in the area for 10 years, said homeless folk would get drunk and litter.

“They don’t keep the area clean. There have been incidents where they urinated at the side of buildings.

“This is not good for the city’s image,” she said, adding that the area used to be abuzz with people.

Mah Seng Photostat Centre owner Alvin Pang, who has been conducting business in the area for four years, said soup kitchens were the reason why there were many homeless folk in the area.

“The soup kitchens keep giving out food and the homeless keep returning. They also litter after they eat,” he said, urging authorities to look into the issue.

The Malaysian Insight’s visit to the area found that there were fewer homeless folk near the Bangkok Bank in Jalan Tun H.S. Lee.

According to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, 2,707 operations to rescue the homeless were carried out last year, in which 1,610 locals and 668 foreigners were rescued.

Last week, soup kitchen operators in Kuala Lumpur had voiced their concern that the homeless were choosing to go hungry out of fear of being arrested, following an increase in raids ahead of the Sea Games.

‘Focus on helping them get jobs’

Kuala Lumpur Traders and Hawkers Association deputy president Muhamad Baba Kutty said locals and tourists avoided areas where the homeless were known to be.

“When they see homeless folk sleeping on cardboard boxes and squatting near shoplots and hawker stalls, they tend to avoid these places.

“This results in poor business for traders.”

He said he had received complaints from some of the association’s 15,000 members, whose customers had become wary of the presence of the homeless near the business premises they frequented as homeless folk tended to ask for money.

“It’s not only the homeless (who pose a problem). There are also many beggars, who go around harassing customers, especially when they are eating.”

Baba said civil society organisations that defended the homeless contributed to the issue.

“I don’t agree with the organisations feeding the homeless. This only encourages them to be lazy.

“They know that they can get free food, so they don’t want to work.

“The organisations should focus on helping them get jobs, not giving out food.”

He said Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Welfare Department should take the issue seriously as it would hurt the city’s reputation, especially when the Sea Games kicked off.

“The Sea Games are coming. The homeless will mar tourists’ impression of Kuala Lumpur.

“They will see homeless folk hanging around street corners and sleeping on the roadside, and this is not good.”

Public wants a ‘bad guy’

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Loga Balamohan said authorities understood traders’ plight and were working on helping them.

“We have received complaints from traders. But when we address the problem, civil society organisations jump and say we are heartless.

“We can’t have traders saying one thing, and on the other side, we have to deal with the organisations.

“We have to address the issue holistically,” he said, adding that traders and the organisations must play their part and work together.

“When we take action, the organisations make a lot of noise. And then, there is the issue with the public.

“On one side, they sympathise with the homeless. On the other, they want a clean and safe city.

“They want somebody to be the ‘bad guy’, and that is City Hall.

“We certainly have an issue on our hands. We are trying to address it, but certain parties are not listening, like the organisations and the public.” – August 4, 2017.