Chiew (white shirt) advising the family found living in a makeshift hut near a forest in Sibujaya.
A FAMILY of four living in a makeshift hut in a forest near Sibujaya have been rescued and placed at the Sibu Temporary Transit Centre (TTG) in Sarawak.
Lanang MP Alice Lau said Rose Akam, 53, and three of her children aged between 12 and 23, had been living in the bush for more than a year after she separated from her husband.
Lau said Rose had three other children, two of whom were married while another was staying with her ex-husband and their whereabouts were unknown.
She said that to make ends meet, Rose, who is from Nanga Ensengai in Kanowit, and her children collected midin (wild fern) and other forest produce to sell at the Sibujaya market.
She added that the family depended on rainwater for drinking.
The family was found by the Lanang DAP service centre led by Stanley Chiew and their plight was highlighted on social media.
“On March 9, my Lanang service centre helped send the family to Sibu TTG,” said Lau, who is also the Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker II.
“Prior to that, the team visited them on Feb 18.”
She said neither the woman nor her children had personal identification documents.
“My service centre has contacted Sibu TTG and the Welfare Department to channel aid to them, including helping them apply for personal documents,” she added.
As for their future, Lau said Sibu TTG would find a suitable place for the family to stay while the Community Care Enrichment Programme (CCEP) Foundation would pay their rental for one year along with other necessities.
According to Penghulu Peter John, who joined the team to persuade Rose and her children to move, the family would be placed at Sibu TTG for two weeks to facilitate her citizenship application process.
John said they had tried to apply for identification documents for Rose’s three children but could not proceed due to their stateless status.
“We were advised by the National Registration Department to help Rose obtain citizenship status first, so that her children can be given identity documents,” he said.
Meanwhile, CCEP Foundation chief executive officer Yee Poo Yoon said he raised RM6,350 to help the family.
“We plan to send the youngest son to school after he gets his personal documents,” he said.
Yee hopes that the authorities or other kind individuals will come forward to help the destitute family. – By ANDY CHUA
