Helping hand for the handicapped

Monday December 1, 2008

Helping hand for the handicapped



LIKE most parents, lottery ticket seller Ramesh Moses has many worries concerning his children.

However, his worries are over simple, yet essential, matters like having enough food on the table each day.

The 44-year-old is wheelchair-bound and was handicapped by polio at the age of two. He earns about RM550 a month through the ticket sales.Feeling the pinch: (From left) K. Kaliamma, her son M. Muhilan with Mary and her husband Ramesh at their home in Sri Johor flats in Cheras during the visit by Azman.

His wife R. Mary, 43, is a housewife and they have four children aged between 11 and 18 years old.

They have been living at a Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) flat in Cheras for about 20 years now.

The church they attend also helps out with some RM200 each month.

However, the total is hardly sufficient for a family of four with children in school and other expenditures like the flat rental and utility bills.

“My flat rental is overdue by about 12 months. I only sell tickets three times a week and I go to work at nearby areas such as Maluri and Pandan Jaya, within Cheras so that my cab fare does not exceed RM8 to and fro each time,” he said during a visit to his flat by Bandar Tun Razak MP Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim’s personal assistant Azman Abidin.

Azman also visited a handicapped boy, M. Muhilan, 19, in the area. Muhilan was accompanied by his mother K. Kaliamma Thevi, 44.

Kaliamma said Muhilan and his younger brother M. Anbarasan, 16, were born with Down Syndrome.

“I can’t work because I have to be here and take care of Muhilan while my sister takes care of Anbarasan. Sending them to a day-care centre would be too expensive for me.

“I cannot leave them alone as they need attention all the time, especially since they occasionally have seizures,” she said, adding that her husband, who works for Alam Flora, was a diabetic and was also often ill.

Azman, who provide some monetary help to the two families on behalf of the MP’s office, said there were many low-income, handicapped people living in the DBKL flats.

“The cost of living in KL is quite high and especially during this time of economic crisis, the low-income groups feel the pinch the most.

“I suggest that the government waives the rental for certain low-income, handicapped groups to help them in the long-run and think of ways of helping them sustain themselves,” he said during the visit.

To make contributions to these families call the MP’s office at 03-9172 1200/ 4200.