KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s perennial issue on solutions for undocumented street children is likely to take a step forward in overcoming the decades-old problem.
A special shelter to provide them with basic skills in the city here will be ready soon as part of efforts to resolve the street children problem in the state, assistant minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Abidin Madingkir said, adding that the Public Works Department (PWD) had already completed renovation work for the shelter.
“Now, we have to put in the furniture and other fixtures before the shelter can start operating,” hesaid after launching the World School Milk Day programme yesterday.
Abidin said the stateless children, who were currently roaming the streets and begging, would have basic living skills training for three months at the temporary shelter.
“The programme will cover self-care, community living and spiritual learning.
“We hope they can lead a normal life without having to beg after they leave the shelter,” he added.
Abidin said the Kota Kinabalu shelter was a pilot project and would be adopted in other districts like Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu.
Local authorities, he said, would focus on street children who were constantly seen begging in and around the city as well as along traffic light intersections.