Chong (right) and Chu (left) with Siong’s family at their house in Mile 8, Jalan Batu Kitang.
KUCHING (July 18): The Federation of Kuching, Samarahan and Serian Division Chinese Associations has come to the aid of a family who lives on the breadwinner’s RM40 daily paycheck.
According to Siong Siaw Fung, her husband only gets paid RM40 per day working as a labourer outstation.
“The RM40 is used not only to provide for our own four children, but also for my brother’s three children, my elderly mother and a relative – all living under the same roof,” she said, adding that while they did receive aid from the Welfare Department, it was still a struggle to make ends meet especially with family still caring for little children – the youngest is aged four months, while the oldest is 12 years old.
“At times, it’s not enough to buy the children milk.”
Making it worse, two of her brother’s children are ‘stateless’ – they do not have birth certificate.
It is learnt that Siong’s sister-in-law, an Indonesian, had left the family without any contact.
“My mother previously worked at a restaurant, but had to be let go when Covid-19 struck.
“It’s been really hard for us, but fortunately, there are generous people and organisations that have been coming in and donating food and essential items to us over the past several months.
“We’re really grateful to them,” said Siong.
The disaster relief team, represented by the federation’s women chief Georgina Chong, visited Siong and her lot at their house in Mile 8, Jalan Batu Kitang here yesterday and handed over food items including milk formula, as well as other daily supplies to the family.
Chong said the federation would go all out in helping Siong’s brother apply for the birth certificates for his two children.
Chong was accompanied by the federation’s women section Secretary Mary Chan and supervisor Irene Chu.
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