Elderly widow loses jewellery to ‘Good Samaritans’

PETALING JAYA: An elderly widow who was promised welfare aid to buy groceries lost her jewellery to two persons who posed as Good Samaritans instead.

According to her son M. Malar Dasan, the two who claimed to be mother and son approached M. Maruthampal, 71, while she was waiting to see a doctor at Tanglin Hospital.

The woman, believed to be in her 40s, told Maruthampal that a kind-hearted “Datuk” was looking out to help the poor. The excited mother-of-nine, who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure, abandoned her doctor’s appointment and followed the duo to a supermarket in Sg Besi where she was asked to pick up groceries that she needed, and that the “Datuk” would meet her later with the cash.

“However, before she entered the supermarket, the young man told her that she would have to remove her gold necklace, bangles and ear- rings so that the “Datuk” would be convinced that she deserved the aid,’’ added Dasan, 39, who said the items were a gift to her from his father who was a Kuala Lumpur City Hall general worker.

He said his mother then removed the gold items and put them in her handbag before handing it to the bag counter at the supermarket.

The man, believed to be in his 20s, held on to the check-in ticket and told Maruthampal to proceed with her grocery shopping alone.

“The man also claimed that they would be right behind her but my mother realised their absence about five minutes later.

“It was then that she suspected something amiss and rushed to the bag counter. But the personnel at the counter said the duo had already claimed her handbag,” he added.

Dasan, who works in a public relations firm, said his mother’s bank books, medical cards and RM50 were in the handbag.

The gold items were estimated to be worth RM3,000. A report was lodged at the Sg Besi police station.

Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said the method used to deceive the widow was the first such case reported in the district.

The Welfare Department advised the poor not to fall for such “traps” by confidence tricksters. An official said anyone who wants to apply for aid must come to the department’s office in person, with all the necessary documents.

“We have never appointed or endorsed any agent to act as intermediaries. All applicants must show identification documents and proof of financial status to us, among others,” she said.

Once done, the official said the department took up to 30 days to process the applications.

“So people who say the aid can be received immediately are lying. It takes time and if approved, the payment will be made directly to the recipient,” said the official.

MIC national service centre coordinator Datuk N. Muneandy said he was saddened to hear of the theft involving Maruthampal.

“We never ask people to take out their jewellery to prove they are poor. But we do advise that it is not safe to wear them out on the streets if one is alone,’’ he added.