Moved to tears by kind gesture

STAR, Saturday June 4, 2011

EX-labourer R. Krishnasamy, who was wheelchair-bound since last December, wept tears of joy upon receiving a new wheelchair.

Krishnasamy, 46, was among five needy persons from Bukit Jambul and Gelugor in Penang who received aid in cash and kind from the Bayan Baru Welfare Association and Bayan Baru Barisan Nasional co-ordinator David Yim.

Krishnasamy’s wife N. Gomathi, also 46, said her husband lost his ability to speak over the years after suffering from a stroke four years ago.

Gomathi works as a factory operator earning RM900 per month.

The couple have four school-going children aged between 13 and 19, who take turns to take care of their father when Gomathi goes to work.

She said the family could not afford to replace the old wheelchair and had approached the state Welfare Department for help.

Deeply touched: Krishnasamy weeping tears of joy as Yim (second right) hands him the cheque and cash. Also present is Tan Cheng Lim *right), special assistant to Batu Uban BN Coordinator Mr. Goh Kheng Sneah.

Yim, together with Bayan Baru Welfare Association chairman Heng Yak Hoi and Batu Uban BN Coordinator Goh Kheng Sneah’s special assistant Tan Cheng Lim, visited Krishnasamy at his house on Lorong Sungai Dua in Gelugor on Thursday.

Besides the wheelchair, Krishnasamy also received RM100.

Four other needy persons received a RM300 cheque each and two of them also received RM100 cash each.

Yim said the cash contribution was made by his Facebook friend Soong May Sin, a businesswoman from Ipoh.

Stroke patient Tan Hin Lye, 53, who is also suffering from kidney failure, diabetes and a swollen heart, said he was thankful for the donations.

His wife Tay Saw Kim, 48, who formerly worked as a product promoter in a supermarket, said she had to resign to take care of her ill husband.

“I am now working from home assembling correction tapes and only earn between RM15 and RM17 for assembling 1,000 units,” she said.

Tan received the RM300 cheque and RM100 cash from Yim.

Yim also visited needy housewife Tan Phiak Hwa, 63, and mentally-challenged Yeap Saw Kooi, 83, at their homes on Lengkok Nipah 3 and Lorong Sungai Dua in Sungai Dua respectively to present them with the RM300 cheque each.

Single mother Che Wan Abdul Wahab, 48, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident in February, also received the RM300 cheque and RM100 cash.

Che Wan, a mother of two children, aged seven and nine, said the donations would help reduce her monthly financial burden.

Yim said more effort should be put in by the state to help the needy and less fortunate.

He said the public who wished to donate could contact him at 012-4802725 or his assistant A.A. Rajah at 019-4758374, or the Bayan Baru Welfare Association at 04-6468808.