Homeless shelter to open in Kuala Lumpur

The Ministry of Women, Community and Family Development will be opening a temporary residence for homeless people in Kuala Lumpur in the near future.

Its secretary-general, Dr Noorul Ainur Md Nur, said the shelter has received an allocation from last year’s budget and is scheduled to be built soon.

Komunitikini has been informed that the shelter can accommodate at least 30 persons.

In commemorating International Women Day, Noorul Ainur (right) also advised women from lower income group to sign up for the “e-kasih” programme implemented by Rural and Regional Development Department.

“The ministry, in collaboration with local authorities, will help urban poor women to get a house,” she said after launching Women:100, a month-long arts campaign in conjunction with International Women’s Day in Subang Jaya today.

On another note, she reiterated her ministry’s target to increase the proportion of women in the workforce from the current 47 percent to 55 percent.

She said women make up half of Malaysia’s population but many in the workforce are not at the decision-making level.

“Part of the reason is because many of them withdraw from frontline after giving birth,” she said.

“I hope private companies can emulate government agencies in setting up a childcare center inside their premises. It will help to retain women in the workforce,” she added.

Noorul Ainur said the country’s gross domestic product can increase by two to three percent if 70 percent of  women population are in the workforce.