ISKANDAR PUTERI, July 13 — The Johor government will carry out a job-matching initiative for 229 homeless people in the Johor Baru district to help those who have the potential to change.

State Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Zaiton Ismail said the initiative, which is the result of collaboration with various parties, especially the Social Security Organisation (Socso), would begin by identifying their health, age and skills to suit the needs of employers.

She said the interview programme for the homeless would be held at Anjung Singgah, National Welfare Foundation, Johor Baru on July 26, focusing on low-skilled positions such as production operators, cleaning services and retail.

"Socso will review the personal details of the homeless as well as offer motivation and temporary accommodation for them at the Anjung Singgah, besides providing career grooming sessions.

"Engagement sessions with employers who wish to hire the homeless will also be held, thus helping employers to obtain government incentives through the Hiring Incentive 3.0,” she said in a statement today.

Zaiton said that based on the data collected by the Malaysian Red Cross Society, 72 per cent of the 229 homeless are aged between 18 and 30 and identified as still productive to work. — Bernama