THE Immigration Department has taken custody of 70 homeless foreigners, who were at Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) temporary shelter during the movement control order (MCO).

DBKL community development and urban wellbeing department director Anwar Mohd Zain said one foreigner was detained by police for a drug related offence.

He said the 70 homeless foreigners were taken on April 30 but unsure has happened to them after being in Immigration custody.

They were among hundreds of homeless people rounded up by authorities to be placed in temporary shelters in the capital during MCO.

The MCO began on March 18 and is due to end on May 12.

At the Alam Damai temporary shelter in Cheras, there were 71 foreigners from 18 countries.

Of this, 56 were male and 15 female. The shelter also housed three children.

The single women were placed in a room, while the rest slept on the stage. The men occupied the hall floor.

The largest group of homeless foreigners were from Myanmar (23), Indonesia (21) and India (6).

There were also individuals from the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and Somalia.

Anwar said while under DBKL’s care, they were provided with six meals daily, which was sponsored by Kembara Kitchen.

Currently, DBKL is housing to 633 homeless people in 10 temporary shelters.

He said 28 people have reunited with their families, while nine have been taken by the National Anti-Drug Agency for treatment and rehabilitation.

Malaysia has so far recorded 6,386 coronavirus cases and 106 deaths. – May 6, 2020.