SAPP extends help to boy’s family

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) has extended help to the family of the eight-year-old boy who died after falling through a hole into the drain at Mile 7, Jalan Tuaran Bypass on Sunday.

The assistance arranged by SAPP president Datuk Seri Panglima Yong Teck Lee includes the payment of the rent for the house occupied by the victim's mother and grandmother in Kampung Kok, Menggatal.


The party will also assist the 30-year-old single mother and 58-year-old grandmother to apply for welfare ald as well as low-cost housing.

SAPP Women chief Melanie Chia and deputy president Datuk Liew Teck Chan revealed this during their visit yesterday to the Tiong Hua Funeral Parlour where Chua Soon Lee's body was cremated.

Chia said Yong expressed deep concern over the incident and hardship faced by the victim's family.

She said Yong had instructed SAPP Inanam liaison committee leader to contact the owner of the house where the victim's family is staying and requested that the water and electricity supplies to the house be reconnected.

Meanwhile, the cost of the boy's funeral was borne by the Tiong Hua Funeral Parlour, while Kota Kinabalu Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry sponsored the columbarium to keep the urn containing the boy's ashes.

The cremation ceremony was held at 9am yesterday.

It is said that the family, including the victim's 36-Year- old uncle, have been living without electricity and water supply for more than a year as they could not afford to pay the rent.

The mother and grandmother collected scrap metal once every three days and earned about RM10 each time to buy food.

The boy was a primary two pupil in a government school in Telipok.

According to the mother, the victim's grandfather passed away in March last year, leaving behind his wife, two daughters, a son and grandson (the victim).

When the grandfather passed away, he was already owing more than RM1,000 in rent. As the family could not the rental arrears, their water and electricity supplies were disconnected.

The boy had been following his grandmother and mother to collect scrap metal every Sunday, as he wished to save some money to buy a bicycle.

When his grandfather was still alive, the family received RM150 in welfare aid every month.

However, they have yet to receive a reply to their application for welfare aid after the grandfather passed away.

Their application for a low-cost house had been rejected.

Chua's mother remains unemployed as employers did not want to hire her due to the condition of her skin, which forced her to resort to collecting scrap metal for a living.

She said she had attended more than 20 job interviews but was turned down every time.
Her 36-year-old brother (Chua's uncle) earns a low pay as a bus co-driver.

The Borneo Post