BUKIT MERTAJAM: A woman caring for her two brothers, one bedridden and the other a disabled person, was filled with gratitude as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim turned his attention to her dilapidated home in Permatang Pauh town.
Anwar, through Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong, who is also the Minister of Human Resources, extended aid to the 57-year-old woman only known as Woon, by arranging repairs to her home during a visit.
Sim said Woon's father bought the house 30 years ago, but in the 1990s, the family was nearly evicted after being scammed, prompting them to seek assistance from multiple sources.
"Her late sister once met Anwar when he was then deputy prime minister and later told Woon that his bodyguards never turned away ordinary citizens seeking to meet him.
"Anwar asked, 'Can I help you?' before offering his assistance.
"Woon's late sister told her family to always remember this story and Anwar's kindness because he saved their ancestral home," Sim shared in a Facebook post.
Sim said Woon, who cares for her bedridden brother Ah Kong, 59, and her mentally disabled brother Ah Keong, 62, struggles to make ends meet by collecting recyclables daily.
"A kind soul informed me about this family's hardship. When I met Auntie Woon, she shared her frustration, saying no one was helping. I reassured her, 'Don't worry, PM Anwar asked me to assist you'. Little did I know then that Anwar had already helped her family 30 years ago," Sim said.
According to Woon, their inherited house in Permatang Pauh town was in dire condition, with a rotting roof and wooden walls, cracked floors, and rooms cluttered with recyclables.
Determined to provide the three elderly siblings with a comfortable home, Sim vowed to repair their dilapidated house, and his team completed the work in just a month.
Sim added that Woon never expected to finally have a better home. The woman then recalled how Anwar, as the Permatang Pauh MP, helped her family save their house 30 years ago, and now, as Prime Minister, he has once again shown his concern.
"I assured Woon not to worry. Although this is not my constituency, the Prime Minister has asked me to help.
"I will also work with Permatang Pasir State Constituency coordinator, Muhammad Hamdi Mohd Noor, to ensure assistance reaches Woon. This is Malaysia Madani," he said. - Bernama
