A heartbreaking story recently came to light after Malaysian philanthropist Kuan Chee Heng, better known as Uncle Kentang, was approached by a boy seeking help.
In a Facebook post, Uncle Kentang shared how the boy reached out to him after his father passed away following months of battling cancer.
Malaysian student forced to work to support his parents
The boy opened up to Uncle Kentang about the struggles he has faced at just 17 years old, including having to drop out of school and start working to support his sick father and mother.
After his father passed away, the family was also left with an unpaid hospital bill of RM20,000, which the boy was reportedly being asked to settle.
“He is only 17 years old. He stopped school to work and support his sick father and mother. He wanted to study, but he had to leave school. The boy sent me a message asking for help.
He spent money on his father’s hospital treatment and did everything he could to keep him alive. But they still owe the hospital RM20,000, and the hospital has been chasing him to settle the bill. He moved his father to another hospital for blood cancer treatment, but sadly, he did not survive,” the post read.
On top of the family’s financial struggles, the boy and his mother are also facing eviction after falling behind on their monthly rent due to the medical expenses.
“He went to a big NGO, but they told him he would have to wait at least three weeks before they could make a decision. He asked me to help him buy a coffin, arrange his dad’s funeral and get a niche in the columbarium. It will cost RM9,400 for everything.”
“He asked if he could use his late father’s MySARA to buy food”
Uncle Kentang also shared that the boy had even asked whether he and his mother could use their late father’s MySARA balance, which still had RM70 left, to buy food.
“I told them to go ahead, and if the police or authorities question them, just tell them that their dad had just passed away and they are hungry. I believe the outlet will help out,” he said in separate post.
Uncle Kentang has since appealed to the public for donations to help the family, hoping to raise RM9,400 to cover the coffin and funeral expenses. Donations can be made through the details below:
- 8010624732 CIMB – Pertubuhan Amal Uncle Kentang Malaysia (Rip WONG)
- Contributions can also be made via Touch ‘n Go by scanning the QR code in the image below, and donors are asked to send their payment receipts to 018-2683999
Also read: M’sian with Cancer Discharges Himself from Hospital to Continue Selling Tau Fu Fah to Support Family
