MELAKA: In a move to reach out to the needy and elderly folk, a Melaka exco member visited a 94-year-old woman on the first day of Ramadan.
The state's Agriculture, Entrepreneur Development, Co-operative and Agro-based Industries Committee chairman Norhizam Hassan Baktee visited Lee Ah Choo at her daughter’s house in Cheng here, and handed over cookies and cash aid.
“Ramadan is a spiritual affair and getting a blessing from an elderly person is something special to me. As a Muslim, I was brought up to respect all humans and I feel honoured to spend my first day of fasting with grandma Lee,” he said during the visit on Monday (May 6).
Norhizam said Lee’s blessing is auspicious for him during the holy month and decided to visit her after hearing that she needed assistance to fund her medical expenses.
"I consider myself lucky to visit a person in their twilight years during Ramadan," he said.
Lee, who is frail and unable to walk, was excited to see Norhizam at her house.
She said “thank you for visiting me, I am very happy today".
He said empathy towards the poor and elderly is a fundamental pillar of Islam.
"Acts of kindness during the holy month aren't confined to Muslims. Islam cares for all humankind,” he added.
Norhizam said he will continue visiting orphanages and will feed street people during Ramadan.
“I can do more this year as I have some parties helping to chip in to cover more needy people in the state. Previously, I used my savings to do charity work during Ramadan on a smaller scale,” he said.
Norhizam said when he was growing up in the 1970s, his parents used to have meals with non-Muslims when breaking fast.
“No one made issues out of religion then cause many of us were poor and there was no space for bigotry as putting food on the table was the main concern,” he said.
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