Kevin Wan takes Maree’s thumb print as an acknowledgement of receipt of the food items from Hope Place.
WHEN we arrived at his home, centenarian Maree Mion was not surprised to see us. Instead, he instantly beamed with happiness to see a familiar face — Kevin Wan.
Wan, founder of a charitable organisation called Hope Place, was on his routine visits once every two months to needy families, bringing with him an assortment of household necessities.
This time around, I accompanied him to the home of Maree, a hard-core poor gramp who lives with his daughter Sadiah, 55, at Stapok near Kuching city.
I wanted to see how poor families like Maree’s go through their fasting month and prepare to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Maree, who is 107 years old, has been receiving support from Hope Place for three years now and is among 160 destitute families whom the charitable body is helping.
Maree and Sadiah have been living in abject poverty for many years. Moreover, Sadiah has been suffering from a kidney ailment for eight years and is unable to work.
Previously, father and daughter had been sheltering in what could only be described as a scruffy shack — for more than 10 years until in 2014 when Giat Mara rebuilt their shanty into a more decent home.
Although it has no piped water or electricity supply, their present wooden home is, at least, more liveable – unlike their old down-at-heel dump.
And thankfully, Maree has neighbours who are kind enough to provide them free water and electricity.
However, parts of the floor in the house are starting to sink and some sections of the veranda have loosened somewhat. There are no bathroom, proper furniture and mattresses.
Feeling blessed
What is remarkable about Maree is that he does not look his age – physically and mentally.
His mind is still clear. He can walk about without difficulty and sometimes, even cuts the grass in the compound, wearing an old pair of trousers, a T-skirt and his only pair of worn-out shoes.
It is only his hearing which is failing, and you have to speak a little louder near his ear for him to catch what you say.
In a raspy but fairly audible voice, Maree said he still felt blessed with his life.
He has a son — Bujang – who is willing to take both his father and his sister in, but the old-timer prefers to be on his own.
“Sadiah and I will stay put for as long as we are still able to fend for ourselves,” he said, adding that his present home held sentimental value for him.
“Moreover, this good son of mine also has a family of his own and they live from hand to mouth. I do not wish to burden them,” Maree said, narrowing his eyes a little, bespeaking a father’s love and empathy for a son who is also struggling with everyday life.
This is where Maree takes his bath everyday — a small area with a water tank and some water containers.
RM300 monthly aid
Maree and Sadiah make do with a RM300 monthly aid from the Welfare Department.
He said during Ramadan, he never failed to observe his fasting duty “because that’s his responsibility to God.”
And of course, unlike others, both of them are only able to break the fast with very simple meals.
“Just rice and salted fish are already enough for us to call a meal,” he said, adding that it was what they usually had anyway.
“Sometimes, I do long to have bubur lambuk for buka puasa,” he confessed, betraying a somewhat abashed grin.
He said they did not have a “really delicious meal” for a long time.
Asked how he and his daughter usually celebrated Hari Raya, he replied they would depend on his other children and neighbours to visit them and give them some food and other daily necessities.
They can only celebrate the festive season with bare necessities – simple food, no decorations, no new shoes, no new clothing.
“How nice if this house could be brightened up with colourful lights. But I still feel blessed with whatever I have — never mind if I don’t have all those pretty lights. If I could have Raya cookies and cakes or some 3-in-1 coffee, I would be happy,” he said.
At this point, Malee’s 70-year-old son, Bujang, arrived on a motorcycle with Sadiah. He had brought her to the clinic and though exhausted from their trip, they were delighted to see Wan.
From my chat with Bujang, I learned he is the second of five siblings.
He said he loved and cared for his father and sister very much and wanted them to come and stay with him. “But my father wants to stay in his present house with my sister. I feel very sad I cannot afford to give them a more comfortable life.”
Doing his best
Bujang revealed he and his family survived on his monthly pension of RM800 after his retirement from the armed forces where he served for 36 years.
He has six children, 17 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
“Whenever I can afford it, I will buy some chicken meat or fish for my father and sister. During the fasting month, I try my best to get what he wants for buka puasa from the Ramadan stalls,” Bujang said.
“I wish I can do more for them but I feel helpless. That’s why I visit my father as often as I can. But at least, my sister, Sadiah, is living him — so she is the one who looks after him and cooks for him.”
Bujang is grateful to the neighbours for sharing their electricity and water with his father and sister – free of charge.
He said he tried to pay the neighbours some money but they told him they were only too happy to help.
To show their appreciation, Maree and Sadiah use the utilities only sparingly.
“My father and sister use the water and electricity only when it’s absolutely necessary. The last thing they want is to take their neighbours’ kindness for granted. They make sure they don’t over-use or waste what is given free to them,” Bujang stressed.
As for water, he said his father had a water tank, and only when the tank ran out would Maree get water from the neighbours.
“In a way, I’m touched and comforted by the fact that there are still many good people in the world who care about the less fortunate, regardless of race and religion,” Bujang added.
The interior of the house. Maree’s bedroom is next to the kitchen.