PASIR MAS: An underprivileged family of seven in Kampung Batu Karang here, has lived without a supply of electricity for almost seven years and is subsisting on an insufficient amount of food.
Husband and wife Mahasan Salleh, 44, and Sulaina Ismail, 38, and their children aged between six and 13, also do not have piped water supply, drawing water from a well located about 200m away from their home.
The electricity supply to the home was cut when they could not settle an outstanding bill of about RM2,000, Sulaina told reporters when met at the house today, explaining that she began using a motorcycle battery a few months ago to light up bulbs at their run-down home which has a broken roof.
As the couple’s earnings are meagre - Mahasan earns RM700 a month, plucking oil palm in Gua Musang and Sulaina makes about RM30 a month doing odd jobs in the village - the family’s nutrition is poor and there are times when the children are just given white rice and herbs picked from the village area, she said.
To make matters worse, the couple’s second child, Muhammad Syamsul, 12, was diagnosed with a heart ailment six months ago and needs to go back and forth between home and Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II in Kota Bharu, to receive treatment.
The family is receiving aid from the Social Welfare Department in the form of RM450 a month, and a representative of non-governmental organisation, Thirdforce Rantau Panjang, visited the family today to deliver food supplies such as rice, milk and sugar.
However, as more help is needed, well-wishers can make their donations to this Bank Islam account: 03-027-02-063690-5 in the name of Sulaina Ismail. — Bernama
