Elderly folk spend their golden years in abject poverty
- 7 years ago
Their faces bear witness to a long, harsh life. Their dilapidated homes appear as frail as their bodies, which continue to toil in a poverty which few can believe still exists in Malaysia’s wealthiest state of Selangor.
Not more than 10 kilometres from Bandar Klang, a squatter’s village – Kampung Tengku Badar – is overrun with families who can barely afford to survive.
Ismail Sipad, 81, and his wife Amnah Alan, 72, have lived for almost 20 years at the settlement, eking out a living by begging and collecting empty tin cans and metal goods for recycling.
The couple, who have three children, say they can barely make RM500 a month.
"Now, my body is failing me. It’s hard to keep collecting,” said Amnah.
When asked further about their children, the couple share that they have two sons and a daughter, but appear hesitant to say more.
"I don’t want to talk about my children, there’s no point,” said Amnah.
Amnah and her husband has had to look to charitable organisation Reach Out for food and other basic needs.
"We don’t eat much, but we will head to a spot under the bridge to get some food.
"Sometimes it’s burgers, sometimes it’s bread, biscuits. Thankfully, we can still survive," she told The Malaysian Insight.
"We have gone to (pusat zakat) to request for assistance. Filled forms, and came back. They said to wait for their call, but till now, there’s not been any call," she said.
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Not more than 10 kilometres from Bandar Klang, a squatter’s village – Kampung Tengku Badar – is overrun with families who can barely afford to survive.
Ismail Sipad, 81, and his wife Amnah Alan, 72, have lived for almost 20 years at the settlement, eking out a living by begging and collecting empty tin cans and metal goods for recycling.
The couple, who have three children, say they can barely make RM500 a month.
"Now, my body is failing me. It’s hard to keep collecting,” said Amnah.
When asked further about their children, the couple share that they have two sons and a daughter, but appear hesitant to say more.
"I don’t want to talk about my children, there’s no point,” said Amnah.
Amnah and her husband has had to look to charitable organisation Reach Out for food and other basic needs.
"We don’t eat much, but we will head to a spot under the bridge to get some food.
"Sometimes it’s burgers, sometimes it’s bread, biscuits. Thankfully, we can still survive," she told The Malaysian Insight.
"We have gone to (pusat zakat) to request for assistance. Filled forms, and came back. They said to wait for their call, but till now, there’s not been any call," she said.
Full story: http://bit.ly/2uwflQJ
Website: www.themalaysianinsight.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/themalaysianinsight/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msianinsight/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/msianinsight/