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A couple from Kelantan, who recently moved to Penang to make a living, were forced to sleep by the roadside near Taman Bidara, Bukit Mertajam, after failing to find a job amidst the movement control order
The husband and wife had been sleeping on the footpath for three nights with no access to food after they were evicted, according to Bukit Mertajam Member of Parliament (MP) Steven Sim Chee Keong.
In posts made on his Facebook and Twitter earlier this morning, 29 May, the Bukit Mertajam MP noted that he received information about the couple through members of the public.
Dapat info daripada penduduk setempat ada satu pasangan suami isteri yang tiada rumah dan tidur di atas jalan dekat Taman Bidara, Bukit Mertajam. Mengikut orang di sana, mereka sudah 3 hari hidup dalam keadaan begini, makan tak cukup, tidur berbumbungkan langit. 🙁 pic.twitter.com/5rw0RFhmWL
— Steven Sim #Bangsa (@scheekeong) May 28, 2021
Sim said that after learning about the couple’s situation, he wasn’t willing to let them sleep on the footpath for even a second anymore
According to him, the couple would rummage through garbage to look for items to sell during the day and had been sleeping on the footpath after not being able to pay rent for the house.
Last night, following Sim’s help, the couple were boarded at a hotel.
“Shah and Siti, your suffering is over. Tonight, sleep well in the hotel. Tomorrow we start a new life,” wrote Sim, who has been helping the vulnerable people of the society amidst the MCO.
Image via Steven Sim Chee Keong 沈志强 (Facebook)