This M'sian Family Of 5 Have Been Forced To Live In A Car For Almost A Year
"Which father, husband, can bear to see his own family living and sleeping in the car, day in and day out?" said the father of three.
By Sadho Ram — 22 Jun 2023, 12:59 PM
42-year-old Abdul Razak and his 39-year-old wife, Siti Azeryna Daud, as well as their three kids, have been calling an old Proton Wira their home for the past 10 months as they have nowhere else to go
"Which father, husband, can bear to see his own family living and sleeping in the car, day in and day out? But with no choice or option left, we had to rough it out like this," Razak shared.
The family's predicament came to light after a Facebook influencer, Edi Arjuna Pencerita, uploaded a post on his account, sharing details about their struggle yesterday, 21 June.
According to Edi, he was alerted about the family by his friend, who told him that Razak and his family were seen wandering around Temerloh, Pahang after having met at a petrol station in Karak, Pahang.
"The eldest daughter had to stop attending school due to the difficulties faced by the family," Edi wrote.
Razak and his family have been on the road since life took a turn for the worse, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic period
The family used to rent a house in Banting, Selangor and later temporarily stayed at a relative's home in the Klang Valley. However, they were forced to live in their old Proton Wira after encountering economic issues.
Razak said he has done all sorts of jobs, such as cutting grass, driving a school van, and being a mechanic on the road, to survive and support his family but his earnings were too small for them to rent a house.
"All this while, living in the car, I will take my family everywhere, such as Nilai in Negeri Sembilan, Banting in Selangor, and most recently, Karak in Pahang. Usually, we sleep in the car. If we have some extra cash, I will make sure to take my family to stay at a budget hotel," he was quoted as saying by New Straits Times.
According to Razak, he wants to rent a house but whatever money he saves goes into buying essential items such as food, milk, and disposable diapers for his children.
"Before this, I did manage to put aside some money but then the car that we rely and depend on so much broke down, which left me dumbfounded. Therefore, I had to use that cash to fix the car," he said.
He started selling canned drinks but had to stop as he didn't have enough money to keep going.
Razak checks his phone beside the car in which he and his family has been living.
Image via Edi Arjuna Pencerita (Facebook)However, the viral Facebook post provided much-needed relief for Razak and his family as several people reached out to offer assistance
The Facebook influencer also shared that Razak has a tumour on his neck and needs surgery.
New Straits Times reported that Razak had to be admitted to Temerloh Hospital this morning, 22 June.
According to the father of three, he noticed the growth on his neck about a month ago.
The hospital has since informed him that he needs to undergo an operation possibly this Friday, 23 June.
"I hope that the operation will be smooth because I need to be healthy so that I can go out and get a job for my family," he said, adding that a representative from the Welfare Department is now in touch.
