JOHOR BARU: Their presence is somewhat seasonal but there are beggars who position themselves at traffic light junctions in and around the city and make it their "place of business" to get easy money since about two months ago.
The presence of beggars who are believed to be foreigners has raised questions as their numbers appear to be growing.
From checks, observations and surveys carried out, a few locations in some areas have become hubs for begging activities including in Taman Johor Jaya, Plentong, Taman Suria, Pasir Gudang, and Taman Daya here.
In fact, through sharing of information on social media, netizens have highlighted that there is a group of foreign beggars also seen loitering around at the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) traffic light, Majidee, Ulu Tiram and Kota Besar.
A trader who wished to be known only as Ezila Nor, 30, said that such a group of beggars always move from one place to another, which makes trailing them and their activities somewhat difficult.
"There are those who are willing to put their lives on the line, by being on the road and begging for money while there are some who even knock on car windows.
Their actions endangers not only themselves but road users and commuters who try to avoid hitting or knocking them while on the road. The beggars are believed to be either Rohingya, or from Pakistan and Myanmar.
"Some of them are believed to hold permits to work in factories but they are misusing it to get easy money.
"Members of the public should not buy anything from them nor give them any money because it will just perpetuate the problem where they will stay on and keep on begging," said Ezila.
Another local resident, Misha Abdullah, 46, said the authorities concerned, namely the Immigration Department, should carry out monitoring on the foreign beggars and take action.
"I have lodged complaints with the Welfare Department though from what I am made to understand it is out of their jurisdiction because the culprits are foreigners.
"This is where members of the public get confused and disorientated when it comes to the correct channel to lodge such complaints and reports regarding the existence of such groups of beggars and it gets very frustrating when the problem or issue is not addressed."
Yesterday, a video showing two men being questioned for having a substantial amount of money believed to be from begging in Johor went viral on social media.
They are also said to operate at traffic light junctions and the video received all sorts of reactions from netizens who claimed that they had also come across such beggars in their own respective areas.
Meanwhile, Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said police were in the process of ascertaining when the viral video was recorded.
"We have already instructed all mobile patrol units to keep an eye out as well as be prepared to take the appropriate action. Just last month, one such individual was detained," he said.
Johor Baru Selatan police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat said that before this they had carried out arrests in the Majidee area.
"What they are doing is wrong... it is an offence and can be investigated under Section 27(C) of the Minor Offences Act."
Meanwhile, in the federal capital, those without limbs, the blind, elderly women and even hardcore poor children are reportedly being paid to beg at Ramadan bazaars.
The syndicate or syndicates involved are said to be using these tactics and are also "employing" foreigners purportedly brought into the country specifically to beg and ask for "donations".
Most of the beggars are seen being moved regularly to strategic locations at Ramadan bazaars where they are also supplied with containers to elicit for donations.
Observations and surveillance carried out at Ramadan bazaars in Pantai Dalam, Jalan Raja Alang, Bandar Baru Sentul, Pasar Sentul, Bandar Sri Permaisuri and Sentosa here found that there were foreign beggars moving around.
They were driven in cars to these bazaars and picked up a few hours later.
In fact, there were also 'limbless beggars' who used e-hailing services to move from one place to another.
A Harian Metro reporter managed to ask an escort for a blind male beggar, an Indonesian woman who said that she was helping to lead the way for the beggar who is a local man from Melaka.
"He is really blind, and we sell tissue, we are not beggars. We have been here for the past two days," she said firmly, before they hurriedly made their way to leave the bazaar at Jalan Raja Alang here.
A Ramadan bazaar trader, who only wished to be known as Bob, 37, said the activities of beggars and those asking for donations, who are mostly foreigners, were worrisome.
"They are quite smart in the sense that they do not stay for long at one location.
"Usually they will appear during peak hours when the bazaar is packed with people, which is from 5pm onwards." he said.
