Medan Tuanku shelters ready for use

KUALA LUMPUR: Non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) can now use the temporary shelter in Jalan Medan Tuanku to distribute food and services to the homeless.

Federal Territories Ministry secretary-general Datuk Adnan Md Ikhsan said the two storey container building was built in May this year and only took three months to be completed, for a function with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak in July this year.

"However, after the event, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has asked the contractors to replace the tents with a permanent and solid structure.

“Due to a miscommunication, the building has yet to be utilised. I am very disappointed because the building is ready to be used months ago,” Adnan told the media during a press conference held at the temporary shelter here.

Adnan added that while the government had sorted out the issue, and NGO’s could start to utilise the building, the government would build a much safer building to replace the container building.

“I already informed DBKL that if they need to build a more solid building, they should not touch this container building,”

“We have to find a way for them to make the installments without interrupting the existing building,” Adnan said.

To date, four soup kitchens have volunteered to distribute food at the shelter.

The soup kitchens are Pertiwi Soup Kitchen, Kechara Soup Kitchen Society, Need to Feed the Need (FTN) and Kaseh4U.

Pertiwi Soup Kitchen founder Munirah Abdul Hamid said they would start to distribute food at the building starting tonight.

"Pertiwi will start tonight, Kechara Soup Kitchen will do food distribution on Saturday nights and Need to Feed the Need (NFN) will go on Thursday nights. Kaseh4u may also take up Tuesday nights,” Munirah said.