KUALA LUMPUR: The government has decided to expand the definition of vulnerable groups to cover the homeless, stateless individuals, refugees, infectious disease patients and the poor.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said membership of the committee would also be expanded to include representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involving in the coordination of protection for vulnerable groups.
"The committee is a special platform to comprehensively look into issues related to care centres of vulnerable groups in the country, which include care centre for children, people with different abilities (OKU), senior citizen as well as tahfiz centre.
"The establishment of this committee will enable the government to formulate a holistic approach to look after the welfare and wellbeing of these groups and protect them from being manipulated," said Ismail Sabri who chaired the first-ever Special Cabinet Committee for Protecting Vulnerable Groups today.
Ismail Sabri said the government also agreed to formulate a blueprint and form a committee to address issues affecting the homeless.
"This is because there are no specific laws governing the operation and coordination of homeless people in the country," he said.