Three siblings found living in horrid conditions

KUANTAN: Three sisters aged 12, 10 and nine were recently found living in squalor on the upper floor of a business premises at Batu 6, Jalan Gambang.

The living space was covered with rubbish and dog faeces and bird droppings.

They were living under the care of an uncle in his early 30s, who rented the premises for RM500 a month.

Their plight was discovered after SJKC Taman Tas president of the Parent-Teacher Association Yeoh Kok Bin visited them with a representative from the Pahang Social Welfare Department.

Food wrappers, bottles and scrap items were seen strewn on the stairs, while visitors waited for almost 10 minutes as the siblings struggled to put a dog in a cage. An odour hit the vistors as soon as the door was opened.

“The eldest sister said they would usually eat instant noodles or bread after returning from school while waiting for their uncle to come home with food. If there were any ingredients, the eldest sister would cook simple meals,” Yeoh said yesterday.

Their uncle works as a welder in Air Putih and would leave early in the morning, while their 35year-old father only returned home during the weekend as he worked in a forest in Rompin, about 136km away.

Their 34-year-old mother is said to be working in Johor or Singapore for the past three years.

“The girls’ father would give RM50 to each child for their daily expenses while the uncle would give RM60 to the eldest sister to buy instant noodles and other cooking ingredients, and would top it up if the money ran out,” he said.

The siblings had skipped classes for two weeks straight despite the school being less than a kilometre from them.

Yeoh had suggested the three siblings be placed in a childcare centre, but they did not want to be separated from their uncle.

However, following the inspection, their uncle has agreed to temporarily place the siblings at a care home to give him time to clean up the place or find another living unit. – Bernama