Sharifah Hasidah (second right) and her team present the new items to the elderly couple at their house in Kampung Samariang Batu.
KUCHING: The plight of an elderly couple living in poverty in Kampung Samariang Batu near here, which has gone viral on social media, has drawn the attention of a state assistant minister.
Assistant Minister of Law, State-Federal Relations and Project Monitoring Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali went to the village with her team and met the couple on Saturday, bringing along new mattresses, fans, cookers, some kitchen items and supplies, as well as donations to buy building materials for their house.
It is learnt that the couple is also receiving the RM600 assistance from Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak, which is distributed once every three months; the monthly RM300 Welfare Department aid; and some assistance from the area fishermen’s association for repair works on their house.
When asked whether they knew that their plight was highlighted on social media, the
couple said they simply did not know.
The only thing they knew was that recently, a woman had come to their house and taken some photos there.