Malaysian philanthropist Kuan Chee Heng, affectionately known as Uncle Kentang, has been moved by the hardships of a young stateless man who is struggling because he does not possess a MyKad.
Taking to his Facebook page, Uncle Kentang shared how the 23-year-old reached out via video call to ask for food, as he had been going hungry.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
The philanthropist shared:
“Sad, sad, sad. A young Chinese man video-called me and told me he hasn’t eaten and is hungry. He explained that he is stateless and has no MyKad.”
“I do not know the reason yet, but later tonight, I will go to Kuchai Lama to meet him and see his plight. I hope I can help him obtain a MyKad before I close my eyes,” Uncle Kentang added.
Unemployment and hardship
This image is for illustration purposes only.
In a subsequent post, Uncle Kentang explained that the young man’s lack of documentation has made it impossible for him to find stable work.
“If he had a MyKad, he could be employed, and he would not be viewed as an ‘immigrant’ (Ah Chan),” he noted.
“Many take their own lives because they suffer too much. I will see him in Kuchai Lama later. I have already wired some money to his neighbour’s Touch ‘n Go account, as he cannot even own his own. What a pity!”
Uncle Kentang concluded by stating that his mission goes beyond just feeding the hungry; he intends to work hard to reduce the population of stateless individuals in Malaysia.
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