While a car usually serves as the main mode of transportation for most people, sometimes it can be a place where the neediest call home.
A man’s plight recently came to light after a netizen revealed in a Facebook post about how he and his family had been living inside their Proton Wira for 10 months.
Family of 5 live inside Proton Wira for 10 months
In the post written by Edi Arjuna Pencerita yesterday (June 21), it revealed that the man named Abdul Razak was found to be living inside his maroon Proton Wira along with his wife and three children.
The post soon went viral and caught the attention of Harian Metro, who managed to talk to Razak about his situation.
He told the Malay daily that has taken on various jobs such as grass cutting and driving a school van, but the stable source of income came to an abrupt end during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We used to rent a place in Banting and slept over at relatives’ homes in KL. However, several problems forced us to live in the car.
How can a father bear to watch his children sleep in the car? But what choice do I have?” he lamented.
Razak said that throughout the 10 months of living inside the Proton Wira, his family have spent nights at various places such as Nilai, Banting, and the Karak Highway.
“Usually, we will sleep in the car but if we are fortunate enough, I take my wife and children to a budget hotel. So far, we haven’t faced any problems or disturbances and the police patrol also helps to ensure our safety.”
Huge lump found on neck
Adding on to Razak’s woes was a huge, painful lump on his neck, which appeared a month ago and caused him to be admitted to the Termeloh Hospital.
Razak said that doctors told him that he needed to have a surgery to remove the lump, most likely by tomorrow.
In order to sustain their livelihood, Razak now works as a roadside mechanic without leaving his children and wife, but the income he receives is not sufficient to rent a house.
“I do want to rent a house, but when I have money, I have to prioritize buying food and providing for my children’s needs, including milk and disposable diapers.
“Previously, I had saved some money, but the car broke down to the point where I was stranded…so I had to spend money to repair the car,” he said.
Razak added that he also tried selling canned water but with little success. As such, he ended up taking odd jobs by fixing cars which broke down along the road.
Welfare Dept aware of situation
Fortunately, Razak’s plight caught the attention of the Social Welfare Department (JKM), who have since contacted him after his story went viral.
He said that he hopes the surgery will go well so that he can continue to look for a job and provide for his family.
“If possible, I would like to live around Karak and hope to receive assistance to pay the advance payment for a house because I cannot afford it at the moment,” he added.
We wish Razak a smooth surgery and that he will be able to find a permanent home soon!
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