"We're Grateful" — Man Builds A Shelter Using Recycled Items Due To Financial Constraints
"At one point, we even lived in a car because we could not pay rent; at least now we have a place to stay," said Farid's wife Norazlina.
By Melissa Alvina — 17 Nov 2023, 05:38 PM
A man from Ulu Tiram, Johor had to resort to using recycled materials to build a makeshift shelter for his family, due to financial constraints
According to Harian Metro, Mohd Farid was previously employed as a mechanic but struggled to sustain his family of seven with the RM1,200 he earned per month.
With RM800 allocated to rent, Farid and his wife, Norazlina Abdullah, struggled to pay for groceries as well as buy necessities for their five children, aged eight months to three years.
Consequently, the family moved out and the 30-year-old father used jungle wood and discarded items to construct a shack for them to live in.
"At one point, we even lived in a car because we could not pay rent; at least now we have a place to stay," the Malay daily quoted Norazlina as saying.
"For the past two months, our residence has been a simple shack on my husband's family-owned land. Nevertheless, we remain grateful and happy," she added.
Norazlina further mentioned the temporary house has limited amenities, with only basic water facilities available. It lacks electricity and designated rooms.
Farid stated that his family now depends solely on the wage he earns from doing plantation work
However, while they have a roof over their head, the family still struggles as their temporary shelter is located far from the town of Ulu Tiram.
Farid said he has to walk approximately 8km every time he has to buy basic needs for his family.
"Previously, I owned a car, but it broke down after being used to navigate the palm oil plantation road and the cost to repair the car came up to thousands," said Farid."Due to the lack of transportation, we used to walk to buy the basic necessities, but neither my wife nor my children ever complained," he added.
Kampung Baru Sungai Johor village head Shahdon Abd Wahab has expressed hope for relevant agencies to step forward and provide the necessary support to Farid and his family
"This includes aid to improve their living conditions for the safety of the family, considering the plantation area faces problems with wild monkeys," he said.
Farid's plight had recently caught the attention of Permata Baiduri Malaysia president Faridah Hamzah, who donated a motorcycle and other essential items to him.
