Our 5 wishes to a heartless Cabinet – Amar-Singh HSS and Lim Swee Im

The recent move by the Federal Territory Minister to move soup kitchens for the homeless two kilometres (2km) out of the Kuala Lumpur city centre is a low point in the history of Malaysia as a nation.

We are still reeling from shock and disbelief over this action. Having supported many homeless and poor in Ipoh, we know the real plight of these individuals and families, and how complex the issue is.

There are no easy solutions to this problem but this action by a minister speaks only one message: callous heartlessness.

In addition, the silence of the rest of the Cabinet makes them guilty of the same lack of mercy.

The recent press response by the FT ministry does not reassure. Their own data supports that the majority (90%) of homeless and beggars are Malaysians.

Their reasons for removing them to a 2km radius outside the city centre is supposedly for tourism.

We would say, please look to our own people first not the tourist. The majority of industrialised nations we have visited have homeless and beggars living in the city centre.

It has not diminished their tourism potential. The “lack of hygiene” and “unclean environment” in KL is not caused by a 1,000 beggars or homeless persons but by the majority of the residents of KL, and most of our cities, who throw rubbish indiscriminately.

It also appears that our FT minister and his colleagues in the Cabinet are not able to hear the many calls from the average Malaysian to not do this callous act against the homeless.

Those of us, who have some resources, have a moral responsibility to support others who are struggling.

One important role of a government is to provide for the needs of the segments of society that cannot support themselves.

It would be easy to respond in anger, and I initially wrote "5 angry wishes/prayers" as the topic of this letter.

But after reflection with my wife and with God, I recognise that we cannot stoop to the level of those without humanity. We must not return unkindness with more of the same. 

So these are five wishes (prayers) of things that we hope will never befall any of our ministers, in particular our FT minister. We pray instead for protection for them and all Malaysians from such a fate.

1. We hope and pray that no one comes on hard times and has to live on that wonderful, magic figure that our government has devised: RM800 per month for a family of 5 persons. This amount is supposed to make you no longer poor. No family can live on this amount without soup kitchens to help or having to beg.
2. We pray that no one will be without shelter and have to live on the 5-foot-way. Many of us have yet to experience first-hand this plight affecting some of our fellow Malaysians.
3. We hope that no one will be required to walk 2km twice a day to get to their soup kitchen, their lifeline.
4. We hope that no one will be forcibly relocated to 2km outside of the city centre, regardless of their wishes and opinions. All of us, especially the homeless and beggars are people, not nuisances.
5. We pray that no government will forget the homeless and beggars among Malaysians. After 50-plus years of independence and numerous millionaire and billionaire minister’s sons & daughters, no single Malaysian should continue to be allowed to live in poverty.

A plan to "hide" our poor sisters and brothers only shows how hard our hearts have become.

Our tears and grief go out to our neglected sisters and brothers.

We pray this Ramadan that our hearts will grow to understand the plight of the homeless and the genuine beggars, and may we continue to extend meaningful support to them.

* Dr Amar-Singh HSS and Dr Lim Swee Im read The Malaysian Insider.