Beggars

This is just so sad seeing this. In this day of age, there are still beggars. As much as I emphatise with their plight, maybe receiving a helping hand from the government ain’t that bad.

Of course we don’t know the exact circumstances leading to their choice in roaming the streets, so I won’t speculate.

By the way, is it just me, or the social worker dude in the video below looks a spitting image of Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan is usually peak season for beggars in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta.

However, the government is now clamping down on beggars and even on the people who give them money.

More than 1,500 beggars have been detained and at least a dozen people who gave money have been caught.

The maximum fine for handing money to beggars is $2000.

Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen reports.