MELAKA: Lottery ticket seller Poh Loo Beng has a reason to cheer for this Chinese New Year.
The snatch theft victim was gifted a red packet and goodies by Melaka Health and Anti-Drug committee chairman Low Chee Leong.
Poh, 63, was also invited to attend a reunion buffet arranged for the destitute in the Kota Laksamana state constituency here on the eve of Chinese New Year.
“I never expected to get two bags full of nutritional products and an ang pow.
“This Chinese New Year is definitely auspicious for me,” said the bachelor after a simple handing over ceremony at The Star Media Group’s Melaka bureau office at Jalan Hang Tuah here on Thursday (Jan 31).
Low said the ang pow was from the state government and was part of monetary aid distributed to the needy during major festivities.
“Chief Minister Adly Zahari and myself felt sorry for Poh after reading his story on The Star Online recently and decided to help him,” he said.
On Jan 10, two men snatched Poh’s sling bag, which only contained toilet paper and an old Nokia handphone.
He was on his way to breakfast when the duo on a motorcycle approached him at Jalan Kota Laksamana at 5.30am on that day with the pretext of asking for directions.
The pillion rider then made a sudden attempt to snatch his bag and a brief scuffle ensued.