MELAKA: The mother of the young girl who went viral wearing a ‘Spiderman’ superhero costume and soliciting sympathy from the public at a petrol station here recently, denied that her child is a beggar, and claimed to be unaware of the matter.
Nor Hafika Mohd Shamsul, 30, said she had no idea that her eldest child was taken out by her foster father, whom she had known for almost 20 years, until she was informed by the Melaka Social Welfare Department (JKM).
The woman said her seven-year-old child had only followed her foster father, known as "Uncle Awe," wearing the costume a few times.
"I thot she was just sitting behind my foster father, I didn't know she was there as a mascot (wearing the costume to elicit sympathy). When she returned home, she said she enjoyed it because many children liked to watch, that's all," Nor Hafika said when met at her home in Kampung Paya Rumput here on Wednesday (Feb 11).
Nor Hafika, who hails from Masjid Tanah and works as a caregiver, said her child likes the Spiderman character and the costume was found at a second-hand clothing collection centre in Tangga Batu in December.
Nor Hafika said her family is in dire straits after her husband, Mohd Nazry Mohd Ali, 40, could not work following surgery for a hernia and is fully dependent on the monthly assistance provided by JKM.
Meanwhile, Melaka Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Noordin, who visited the family, said that the Melaka JKM will review the need to increase assistance to the family, which currently receives RM250 per month in general assistance.- Bernama
