Lee lost her job as a dishwasher a year ago.
AT THE height of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, more than 200 vagrants – most of whom had lost their jobs in Singapore – could be seen loitering about in the Johor Baru city centre.
The number dwindled after the reopening of the border with Singapore on April 1 as many flocked there to look for jobs once again.
However, a number of vagrants can still be seen hanging out in downtown Johor Baru, including at the bus stop near the old KTM station in Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, Laman Tun Sri Lanang and Jalan Meldrum.
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One of them was even seen relieving himself near JB Sentral, which is right next to the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immi-gration and Quarantine Complex.
Checks by StarMetro revealed that many of the vagrants actually have a place to stay but chose to sit around and pass their time in the city centre while others are waiting for job opportunities.
Among those hanging around downtown is 79-year-old Lee Seng Yit who used to work at a canteen in Singapore.
“I stopped commuting across the border a few years ago because of my age.
“After that, I worked as a dishwasher in Johor Baru but I lost my job a year ago when the eatery closed down.
“Nowadays, I get by with the free meals handed out by charities.
“I have nothing much to do so I walk around the city centre and hang around the old KTM station bus stop.
“I find that time passes by faster when I can people-watch and chat with friends who are in a similar predicament,” she said, adding that she stays in a small room with her friends in Jalan Wong Ah Fook at night.
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Lee, who is originally from Teluk Intan, Perak, has three children but lost contact with them after her divorce many years ago.
“I last saw my eldest daughter when she was just seven years old,” she reminisced.
When asked about her future, Lee accepted that she would be spending her remaining years on her own.
Another jobless individual, Lai Han Peng also gets by with the help of non-governmental organisations that hand out food packs to vagrants in the city.
“However, the free meals have decreased significantly. At one point last year, we could get at least eight packs of food from different groups daily.
“These days, I am lucky to still get up to two free meals a day and the options are quite limited.
“We used to get all sorts of meals, from fast food, chicken rice, nasi lemak and fried noodles to roasted chicken set meals.
“Nowadays, we usually get just mixed rice or bread,” said the 55-year-old.
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He also received RM10 cash packets from charities during the Chinese New Year and recent Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.
The pandemic affected Lai’s livelihood. He lost his motel housekeeping job in Singapore in 2020 and upon returning to Johor Baru, he made do with odd-jobs.
“I would wait at the old KTM station bus stop and contractors would come by in four-wheel drive vehicles in search of workers for construction sites and petrol stations.
“I could earn RM100 to RM120 daily.
“However, I cannot work at the moment as I suffered a stroke last year and cannot lift my arms,” said Lai, who stays with friends in a rented room in Taman Pelangi.
He takes a free bus ride to the city centre at around 11am and returns at around 7pm.
“I hope to recover soon so I can work again. I have to pay my rent, although my roommates have been understanding about my health problem,” he said.
A 60-year-old man who wanted to be known only as Armain was among those waiting for free meals downtown.
Armain, who rents a small room in the city centre for RM40 a month, said he usually walked along Jalan Tun Abdul Razak or waited in front of Merlin Tower for contractors coming with odd-job offers.
“There used to be more people hanging around in the area but after the economic sectors opened up, many left for Singapore or other parts of Johor to work,” he said.
“I am thankful I can still get odd-jobs two or three times a week, earning RM80 to RM100 a day.
“I am not homeless but I wait for free meals at the bus stop in front of the old KTM station so I can save my money,” he added.
Lee lost her job as a dishwasher a year ago.
Lai hopes to recover soon from a stroke so he can work again.
A homeless man sleeping rough in downtown Johor Baru. The number of vagrants has dropped since the country’s borders reopened, with some taking up jobs in Singapore.
Vagrants hanging out at Laman Tun Sri Lanang in Johor Baru. — Photos by THOMAS YONG/The Star
An Insan Kasih Welfare Association volunteer handing out a pack of food to Armain at the bus stop at the old KTM station.
