KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — Homeless people around the capital will be housed at specific locations to prevent them from wandering during the movement control order (MCO) period.

Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said that for the short term they will be placed at the Jalan Pahang Homeless Transit Centre, which can accommodate up to 150 people, and at Anjung Singgah, which can take in about 70 people.

"I have asked the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) to prepare 100 new pillows and mattresses at Anjung Singgah for the homeless to stay and we will provide them with three meals a day for the duration of the MCO.

"We have identified nine sites as places for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and associations to hand out food, with assistance from members of RELA, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Social Welfare Department.

"We do not encourage them (NGOs) to go on their own as we fear they may not practice social distancing,” he said via live streaming on Facebook today.

Meanwhile, Annuar said they have successfully transferred 806 people, who attended the tabligh gathering at the Seri Petaling Mosque recently, to quarantine centres around the capital in stages since yesterday.

"The National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and Health Ministry decided on this as the number of attendees infected with Covid-19 is rising, including those still in the mosque.

"We have transferred the healthy ones to two quarantine centres — Malaysian Social Institute and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Academy — and they will be provided with amenities,” he said. — Bernama