Rainy day blues for two

Monday, 20 February 2012 22:24

A 73-year-old woman and her bedridden son have been enduring incessant raindrops for the past five years in their leaked wooden shack.

The situation is now worse and A. Sellam and her son, K. Jegathisen, 47, now wear raincoats to bed due to heavy rain in Penang.

The shack, which is located off Jalan Makloom in Kampung Palaniandy has no power supply. To make matters worse there is proper drainage, resulting in bad stench lingering throughout the home.

Despite suffering from hypertension, diabetes and deteriorating eyesight, Sellam, has to look after her son who is stricken with liver disease and diabetes.

The duo said that they sleep in the kitchen as their bedroom has collapsed.

“Our neighbours have been helping us out for the last five years. They give us food. I now cannot cook for my son as our gas cylinder was stolen a week ago.

“Besides that, I have to rely on candles during the night as the (electrical) fuse has also gone missing,” she told reporters at her house last Friday.

Sellam said she applied for welfare aid two years ago but has yet to receive a reply.

“When my husband passed away in 1993, there was no pension,” she added.

Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) Penang welfare coordinator P. Murugiah urged the state government and Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) to allocate a low-cost unit home to Sellam.

“The shack is fire-prone thus the state authorities should look into the matter. We are willing to pay the deposit and monthly rental of the unit if offered by the authorities,” he said.

State Health, Welfare, Caring society and Environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said it was a serious allegation that there were no response from the welfare authorities for the last two years.

“They should provide the relevant documentation so we can investigate the matter. This is because we do not want others to be misled over such allegation,” he said.

Those who would like to help Sellam, can call Murugiah at 016-4449246.

From TheStar