Family of five forced to call old car home, receives support amidst struggles

A family of five has been residing in an old Proton Wira as their temporary home for the past ten months.

Head of the family, referred to as Razak, aged 42, shared that due to a lack of alternatives, his 39-year-old wife Siti Azeryna Daud, himself and their three children had no choice but to endure living in the car.

Razak expressed his deep anguish over witnessing his own family enduring the daily struggles of residing and sleeping in the vehicle. However, with no other options available, they were forced to endure such circumstances.

Their predicament was brought to light by New Starits Times but originally came from the online community when a Facebook user named Edi Arjuna Pencerita shared a post about their situation. The post provided a glimmer of hope and much-needed relief for Razak and his family, as numerous individuals stepped forward to offer assistance and support.

In the past, Razak had undertaken various jobs, including grass-cutting and driving a school van, but their lives took a turn for the worse, particularly during the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to their current situation, the family used to rent a house in Banting, Selangor, and subsequently sought temporary shelter at a relative's place in the Klang Valley. Unfortunately, due to certain difficulties and issues, they were compelled to live in the car.

Presently, Razak revealed that he had to be admitted to Temerloh Hospital because of a growth on his neck that he had noticed about a month ago. The pain and discomfort he experienced prompted him to seek medical attention.

"Throughout this period of living in the car, I have been taking my wife and children to various places, such as Nilai in Negri Sembilan, Banting in Selangor, and most recently, Karak in Pahang. Typically, we sleep inside the car. If we have some spare money, I ensure that my family stays in a budget hotel," Razak shared.

He expressed gratitude that, thus far, they had not encountered any disturbances, threats, or significant issues. In fact, patrolling police officers often keep an eye out for them, ensuring their safety.

To make ends meet, Razak attempted to sustain himself as a mobile mechanic, but his earnings were insufficient to cover the costs of renting a house.

"I desired to rent a house, but whenever some money came in, I had to allocate it towards essential items like food and necessities for the children, including milk and diapers. Previously, I managed to save some money, but then our heavily relied-upon car broke down, leaving me perplexed. Consequently, I had to use those savings to repair the car. For a period, I sold canned drinks, but lacking sufficient funds or capital, I couldn't sustain the business," he explained.

Regarding his illness, Razak disclosed that he had been informed about the possibility of undergoing an operation, potentially scheduled for this Friday. "I hope the surgery goes smoothly because I need to regain my health in order to secure a job for the sake of my family". 

NST mentioned that a representative from the Welfare Department had reached out to him after their difficult situation gained widespread attention thanks to social media.