By Olivia Miwil - March 14, 2025 @ 1:02pm
KOTA KINABALU: There are "agents" mobilising undocumented beggars around the city, said Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK) deputy director for Rural Development Sector, Rahim Karim.
When asked whether these agents are locals or related to the beggars, he said they had yet to confirm anything at this moment.
Contrary to speculation that many of these beggars originate from Pulau Gaya, he said reports suggest they come from areas such as Likas, Sepanggar, and Sembulan.
Even with relocations to the East Coast of Sabah, the same beggars return to Kota Kinabalu.
"But based on our sources, there are people protecting them, though it does not seem like a full-fledged syndicate. These individuals provide them with shelter and food. From afar, we observed that these agents do not seem to be torturing them but rather helping them," he said when met at the launch of the "Program Bijak Membantu Elak Tertipu 2025" at the state mosque near here.
Present were Sabah Welfare Services Department director, Jais Asri, Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs director, Datuk Jumain Jikah, and Kota Kinabalu Police Headquarters head of integrity and standard compliance division, Assistant Superintendent Khairu Amra Haron.
"Their movements seem to originate from the same specific locations. For instance, on Fridays, these groups leave the market area and move elsewhere. We know their movements.
"The problem is that there seem to be informers - when we are about to head to those known locations, they are no longer there," he said, adding that the group mainly consists of children, women, and elderly people.
Rahim added that when enforcement personnel pursued them, the women and children were extremely agile, even climbing over the mosque fences.
Checks by NSTP also found that there are young children carrying infants to beg for money from city folks.
He said local authorities (PBT) currently lack the legal jurisdiction to act against them under local by-laws. The only approach DBKK could take was to move them away from public spaces to prevent activities such as knocking on car windows or begging at busy intersections or parking lots.
"We are working closely with the police, the Social Welfare Department, and other agencies to handle this issue strategically," he said, adding that a task force had also been formed to address the issue.
As for public concerns about criminal activities among the beggars, citing a recent case that went viral on social media involving a child beggar wielding a knife, he said such matters involving weapons fall under the jurisdiction of the police.
Earlier, mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah said begging activities at mosques are worsening and could lead to the exploitation of vulnerable groups and the misuse of welfare funds.
He said that through the "Program Bijak Membantu Elak Tertipu 2025", the aim is to educate the public to donate through the right channels and to the right people.
Sabin's speech was read by Rahim.
Meanwhile, Jais advised people to normalise questioning beggars instead of avoiding them. "By questioning beggars, it would make them feel uncomfortable and might stop them from begging at that place."
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