KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — A purchase deal for a former hotel and a development order for a plot of government-owned land along Jalan Pahang have been approved by Kuala Lumpur City Hall to be made into homeless shelters.
Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal Talib said City Hall had agreed with the undisclosed price offered by the owner of the former hotel in Chow Kit, adding that the purchase was being finalised.
“We have agreed and have made the decision to buy the land. City Hall was informed by the landowner’s lawyers that the person in charge is overseas but we have sent a letter to accept the offer.
“We are awaiting the return of the owner to finalise the S&P (sale and purchase) agreement,” he said during the 1Malaysia People’s Breakfast event at Kuala Lumpur Library yesterday.
Ahmad Phesal said a second shelter which will be built along Jalan Pahang, will be developed by the Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) as a corporate social responsibility initiative.
He said the development order had already been approved and City Hall was now waiting for building plans from the developer.
He said the shelter in Chow Kit was due to be completed by year-end, but scheduling may now be affected by the process of acquiring the former hotel.
“It depends on how quickly we conclude the S&P agreement,” he said.
The project for homeless shelters was initiated following the initial ban on soup kitchen operations within 2km radius of Lot 10 announced in July by Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor.
The ban was subsequently called off in August and shelters would be built as a centre for non-governmental organisations to address vagrancy issues.
