Beggars and those who help them face a fine, says minister – Bernama
The Federal Territories Ministry will impose fines and other penalties on the givers of alms and beggars in several focal areas to reduce the begging culture that tarnishes the image of the federal capital.
Its minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (pic) said, however, the amount of the fine to be imposed on the givers was to be determined later.
"We will introduce a rule where we might issue a summons to those giving alms and haul up the beggars as most of them are foreigners. So we are going to tighten this legislation," he told reporters after launching the Nur Ramadan programme in Putrajaya tonight.
Tengku Adnan said the decision was taken after a meeting with Kuala Lumpur City Hall and other relevant agencies recently where hygiene issues and concerns for homeless people were among the matters discussed.
"NGOs providing free food to the homeless must also fix a location to do so and not distribute the food all over the place," he said.
Earlier in his speech, Tengku Adnan said the ministry and the agencies under it would hold the breaking of fast in all 13 parliamentary constituencies in the Federal Territories in order to listen to the people's problems.
The first location for the breaking of fast was Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin today.
At the event, Tengku Adnan also gave away aid to 780 recipients who included orphans, the needy and disabled. – Bernama, July 1, 2014.
