Better coordination between depts needed over the homeless in Sibu – Rep
SIBU: There is a need for better coordination between the Welfare Department and Health Department when it comes to dealing with homeless persons particularly in Sibu, said Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang.
While commending the effort put in by officers from the Welfare Department office here, she observed that in most cases the homeless person would end up back on the streets a few days later.
She said the typical chain of response by the authorities upon being informed of a homeless person would be to dispatch welfare officers and the police to the scene.
“They (authorities) would then bring the person to the hospital where he would be evaluated by the psychiatric department, while the welfare officers would then try to contact the family members.
“If the family members are
not contactable or even if contactable but not willing to go and bring the person home, and if the person is mentally stable, the person would be released after two or three days,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Chang said in the event the homeless person is found to be mentally unstable, the Welfare Department would not be able to place the person in any shelter.
Sibu Hospital has no place for the person either and usually those taken in would invariably be let out again in two or three days, she added.
“So again, back to the streets he goes. The whole exercise is futile and pointless, and it is a waste of the welfare, police and hospital’s time and resources,” she said.
Chang said she had raised the issue of homelessness fast becoming a major social problem in her debate during the recent State Legislative Assembly sitting.
She said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah had replied to her question on what the Welfare Department was doing to help the homeless with mental problems.
“The minister informed that these cases would be referred to the Health Department and to Sentosa Hospital in Kuching, and would be discharged once treated.
“I presume that may be what is happening in Kuching but that is not what is happening in Sibu. In Sibu, these people would be back on the streets after two to three days because apparently, the hospital here has no place for them,” she said.
Chang called on the Local Government and Housing Ministry, which is in charge of the state’s medical affairs, to address the issue of Sibu Hospital not having room for homeless persons diagnosed with mental problems.
“I recognise there are a multitude of barriers that make it difficult for homeless people to become self- sufficient with secured housing.
“Everyone in the society has a responsibility to reduce and prevent homelessness, but ultimately, the crucial role lies in the hands of the government as it has the resources, scope and power to change public policy and public attitudes toward homelessness,” she said.