KUALA LUMPUR: Wira Perkasa, the youth wing of Pertubuhan Peribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa), has expressed disagreement with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s recent comments on how non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which help the city's homeless distribute aid.
According to a news report yesterday, Tengku Adnan said that programmes organised by some NGOs to help the city’s homeless have led to areas becoming dirty and “out of control”, to the extent that they have tarnished the federal capital's image.
He also reportedly said that NGOs and city dwellers should not provide so much assistance to the homeless, including in terms of money, food and clothing, as this will lead to the group becoming comfortable with their situation and increasingly lazy.
Tengku Adnan also reportedly said that there have been cases of homeless people exploiting the donations given to them by reselling them at night markets.
Wira Perkasa chief Azrul Akmal said the assistance provided by NGOs are for those who live a hand-to-mouth existence.
"The contributions are only temporary. There's no financial aid distributed to the homeless. So why must Tengku Adnan say such thing?
"I consider the advice given by Tengku Adnan as coming from a 'rich person'. However, as an NGO, we will continue to help those in need, including the homeless," he said after handing out sahur (pre-dawn Ramadan) meals as part of their 'Sahur programme' at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Dataran Merdeka and in the Pasar Seni area, yesterday night.
He said a total of 500 of the city's homeless received the food aid, and that 50 Wira Perkasa members were involved in the event.
Azrul urged more donors to come forth to help out the city’s homeless.