Elderly couple needs urgent assistance, medical care

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Garaman is paralysed after suffering a stroke.

Garaman is paralysed after suffering a stroke.

Bejau and her husband live in very poor living conditions at the squatter area.

Bejau and her husband live in very poor living conditions at the squatter area.

BINTULU: Garaman Jenggut, 68, has been bedridden since last year after suffering a stroke seven years ago.

His wife, Bejau Untong, 61, has to look for something to sell in order to generate income for the two of them.

She picks some wild vegetables to sell at the market in Tg Kidurong, but they are never enough, especially when her husband needs extra medical care.

The elderly couple are living alone in very poor living conditions in a small house at BDA Pasir Putih squatters colony in Jalan Tanjung Kidurong here.

“We have not received any assistance from any agencies or individuals. Several years ago, we did apply (for assistance) but was rejected, and I don’t know why, “ Bejau said when met yesterday.

The couple has four children, three male and a female, but all of them have their own families to look after.

Bejau and her husband have been living at the squatters colony for a year. They used to live at Rumah Balang Nanga Arau in Ulu Mukah, Selangau.

The duo had to ‘migrate’ to Bintulu to live in the same area as their daughter, Lina, when Geraman became paralysed.

Lina, 41, has eight children of her own, five girls and three boys. They do not attend school because all of them have no identification documents (IC).

Meanwhile, Empawi Draman, a relative of the family appealed for assistance from the public or the Welfare Department to ease the couple’s burden.

For Lina, she hoped her children would be able to have their own identification documents so that they could go to school like any other children.

Lina and Empawi can be contacted at 013-8151361 and 019-8780864 respectively.