KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Welfare Department (JKM) has “detained” 987 individuals categorized as “orang-orang Papa” (destitute persons) as of May 2025, operating under the provisions of the Destitute Persons Act 1977.
The figure was revealed by Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri during today’s Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Nancy clarified that the term “detained” is the legal terminology used in the Act.
“These actions are carried out by JKM on an ad-hoc basis, often triggered by public complaints, or through planned joint operations with other agencies,” she said.
Providing a historical context, Nancy stated that a total of 1,987 destitute individuals were recorded in 2024; 2,080 in 2023; 1,280 in 2022; and 1,528 in 2021. Since 2021, Kuala Lumpur has recorded the highest cumulative number of detentions with 1,742 cases, followed by Penang (1,288) and Johor (1,199).
Breaking down the numbers by age, 515 individuals were under 18, 5,068 were between 18 and 59 years old, and 2,018 were aged 60 and above. The ages of the remaining individuals were not confirmed.
The Destitute Persons Act grants welfare officers the authority to detain individuals for up to 24 hours before they are presented to a Magistrate’s Court. Operations are conducted either solely by JKM or in collaboration with other enforcement agencies, including the Health Ministry, Immigration Department, National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK), and various local authorities.
Responding to a query from Tampin MP Mohd Isam Mohd Isa, Nancy confirmed that the ministry has completed a comprehensive review of the 1977 Act. She indicated that several provisions were found to be outdated and will be replaced by a more practical legislative framework that specifically targets homelessness, begging, and urban poverty.
“We are working towards drafting a new Bill to address these issues in a more structured and targeted manner,“ she stated.
In response to a follow-up question from Tumpat MP Datuk Hajah Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-PAS), Nancy revealed that many of those detained suffer from mental health issues or drug dependency. These individuals are referred to the Health Ministry for temporary care before being returned to JKM custody.
“For this case, the list is quite long. If we break it down by state and by category, the data becomes very detailed. So, if possible, I would prefer to provide it in written form, as the statistics are too extensive to present here,“ she added.
