Several NGOs teamed up on Monday to provide health screening and food for homeless people in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Maaruf Prihatin, along with Muslim Care, Ameerah and Pertubuhan Amal Perubatan Ibnu Sina Malaysia (Papisma) said they aim to conduct regular health screenings in the future.

"This is our first time conducting medical screenings for them. We have been distributing food to them since early last year," Maaruf Prihatin chairperson Mohd Shahir Abu Hassan said.

Six medical officers and several junior doctors were involved in the project. Mohd Shahir said talks were underway with Papisma to allow this project to be held at least every four or six months.

However, he said, there have been difficulties in getting doctors who can commit to a regular schedule to work on the project, he said.

"It's tough to get doctors, they have to work, too," Mohd Shahir said.

According to a recent survey by Kuala Lumpur City Hall, at least 2,000 people sleep rough in the city every night, up from about some 600 people counted in 2014.

Several NGOs have responded to this problem by setting up regular soup kitchens and providing other services for the homeless.

Failed policies of gov't

The Teddy Mobile Clinic, which provides regular medical services for the urban poor and homeless, received an award from the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) last year.

The government has also set up several homeless shelters in key urban areas, but the available beds are insufficient.

In 2014, the Federal Territories Ministry issued a ban on soup kitchens within the 2km area of the city centre, purportedly to keep the city tidy.

This order was repealed after a public outcry.

Mohd Shahir said the rise in homelessness is an indictment of the government's welfare policies.

"This shows the failure of the government, and that there are problems with the economy. This is the result of the failed economy," he said.

However, Mohd Shahir said, Malaysians could serve the poor and homeless community better by working together to assist these people, rather than complaining about the government.