Good Samaritan offers rent-free stay at flat unit after family got evicted

GEORGE TOWN: A huge crowd of well-wishers and politicians from three different parties crowded the corridor of a flat in Rifle Range here offering assistance to a family of four who spent a night there on Christmas.

Looi Say Chye and his family’s plight, which was highlighted in the news Tuesday and yesterday, drew the attention of other residents in the area along with members from Gerakan, PKR and new party, Malaysian United Party (MUP).

Well-wishers donated food and cash while there were also a couple of offers of vacant units for the family to live in rent-free.

PKR’s Kebun Bunga assemblyman Cheah Kah Peng led an entourage to visit Looi and his family at the corridor yesterday and conveyed the good news that a flat unit owner has offered him to stay in a flat unit for free for a year.

A businessman, who only wanted to be known as Khor, had offered Looi a unit in the next block in Rifle Range.

Khor had contacted Cheah’s service centre and asked his friend, Albert, to hand over the keys to Looi’s family yesterday.

“Khor said the family doesn’t have to pay any rent for the unit for a year until Looi finds a job to pay rent,” Albert, who also refused to reveal his full name, told reporters after opening the door to the unit on the 17th floor in the next block.

He added that Khor has said that he will not set any fixed rental amount for Looi even after the latter found a job.

“He said he will accept any sum depending on how much and when Looi can afford it as he felt that it is more important that Looi gets a job to feed his young children first,” he said.

Khor’s unit has been vacant for about a year so it has to be cleaned up before the Looi family can move in.

Khor’s offer was not the only one as MUP’s Wu Kai Min, who visited Looi yesterday morning, told the family that another well-wisher has offered the family an empty house in Perak Road.

Wu even brought along a lorry to help the family load his items and bring it to the Perak Road house if they accept the offer.

Looi Say Chye (right) and his family had to spend Christmas Day living along the corridor of a flat at Rifle Range after they were evicted, Tuesday.