Early Raya cheer for poor family of five
KUALA LUMPUR: Hari Raya Aidilfitri came early for a destitute family in Taman Melawati, here whose plight was highlighted by the New Straits Times earlier this month.
Following the June 14 report on their living condition and rejection of the family’s applications for government assistance, scores of generous citizens came forward to offer a helping hand.
Rosmadi Jamaludin, 34, his wife Nor Asmira Zainal Abidin, 28, and their three children, who live in a cramped, makeshift house made of wood and concrete, had also been visited by officers from the Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) and the City Hall, who promised that they would do their best to help the family.
Rosmadi, who is an odd-job worker, said he was touched by the concern showed by people, who had been showering them with assistance in the form of food items, clothes and cash, among others. “Alhamdulillah, I am so grateful to Allah for this ‘rezeki’. Thank you so much to everyone who had been contacting and visiting us to send assistance. We really appreciate your help.
“There were even those who called and offered to rent a house for our family, while another had told me not to buy Hari Raya clothes yet as they wanted to bring my wife and kids to shop this week.
“We had never felt happy like this before. This will be the best Hari Raya for our family ever,” he said.
Rosmadi said he, however, had to decline the housing offer as City Hall had promised to provide his family a unit at Air Panas People’s Housing Project (PPR) apartment.
Speaking about his family’s past Hari Raya experience, the man, who earns less than RM1,000 a month doing odd jobs, said there were times when he had to ask his friends if they had any second-hand clothes for his wife and children.
“It was embarassing, but I had to ‘buat tebal muka’ (be thickskinned) for the sake of my wife and kids. With my income, I could not afford to buy them new clothes for Hari Raya. It is okay for me not to have new clothes, but I can’t stand seeing them wearing shabby clothes.
“But I never told them that I asked clothes for them, as I did not want them to feel ashamed. It is enough that I alone feel the embarrasment.”
He said in past years, they would only depend on meat donated to them to make rendang, which they would eat with ‘nasi himpit’ and scrambled eggs, barely enough for the family.
They are looking forward to have a feast together this Hari Raya, the first time since he and Asmira got married and had kids.
It was reported that the couple and their children, aged between four months and six, were living in squalor at the squatter house in Taman Melawati.
They had been, since the past five years, living in the makeshift house measuring 320sqft, which contains only a bathroom, kitchen and living area-cum-bedroom. The house, rented for RM200, also did not have proper water supply.