KAPIT: A handicapped man , 36-year-old Martin anak Jarraw (NRICK 810722-13-6263) of Rumah Guyang, Nanga Jeli, Merit and family are desperate for public help.
He and family are now sheltered at Kapit Native Resthouse (Rumah Temuai) Jalan Selirik here. Family members comprise his 39-year-old wife Singar anak Bagang (NRICK 780411-13-5678) of Rumah Undi, Bena, Sungai Sut, Baleh; his 13-year-old daughter AlylyasaIka Singar (NRIC 041210-13-1078) and 7-year-old son Sam Jake Laja (birth certificate number 111105-13-1325).
For Martin, his illness is critical which requires specialist appointment once a week since beginning this year while his wife is suffering from thyrotoxicosis at the throat since 1999 that literally proclaims her as unfit to work.
Martin is an OKU and now survives on the welfare assistance of RM250 per month (an average of RM8 per day) to support the four members in the family.
Martin’s daughter is now a Form One student at SMK Selirik and also needs pocket money to go to school daily. In order to attend school, she has to pay for van fee to travel from ‘Rumah Temuai’ to SMK Selirik some five kilometres away. She has not attended class over the past one week because she could not afford the RM3 van fare per trip or RM6 per day.
Even Martin’s son who has registered to attend Primary One at SK Nanga Merit., Merit has also stopped schooling because the family now is temporarily sheltered at the said lodge.
Obviously Martin’s current situation deserves government and public attention. He has appealed for public generosity and pledges to the government to help him with a plot of land with a simple house here in Kapit for the family. He also hopes that the members of the public could help to raise some fund to support his two children to enable them to go to school.
Those who wish to help could reach Martin at RumahTemuai Jalan Selirik or call his hand phone at 013 804 9821. If you are kind-hearted please perhaps provide some food package or even some money to support the two children to attend school.
His wife Singar disclosed that she had applied for children assistance from the Welfare Department Kapit and was approved for a total of RM300. However she told that since July 2017 the money is yet to come.
Meanwhile, Martin said that his family would not possibly stay the present place for indefinite time as it is a public place and is inconvenient.
“I appeal to the government to help me with a plot of land with simple house here for my family. I can’t go back to Rumah Welfred Guyang, Merit, Batang Rajang about two hours speedboat journey up river to Belaga because I have a specialist appointment once a week at Kapit Hospital to examine my case.
“Now, I am totally handicapped and dependent on the wheel chair. My wife can’t work because of her poor health suffering from thyrotoxicosis and also I need to care of her. Twelve years ago in 2005, I fell sick and admitted to Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching. The doctor never told me exactly what was my sickness. They said I suffered from ‘mosquitoes illness’ resulting in the malfunctioning of my back bone that had handicapped my both legs. Beginning this year, I suffered severe prostate pain and on 5 July 2017 was admitted to Sibu Hospital where a surgery was carried out to remove the prostate stone which as as big as a small chicken egg”, recalled Martin.
Martin who is originally from Rumah Welfred Guyang, Merit, Batang Rajang before he suffered from the chronic sicknesses, said he worked as a ‘scaler’ at Ulu Belaga logging camp. He also worked as casual labour with LNG Bintulu and his last job was as dump truck driver attached to UMAS logging camp, Baleh River.
“When I was in Belaga, I married an Indonesian woman. We have a child. When I fell sick, she ran away with the child. My present wife, Singar, she is kind hearted. She doesn’t mind of my pitiful stage. We met at this ‘RumahTemuai’ and we were married early this year. We are together and I am very thankful she takes care of me with her the two children, Alylysa and Sam. Now, we are one family. I feel sorry, because I can’t take care of them”, explained Martin.
Somehow, the plight of Martin family caught the attention of Penghulu Daniel Dian who is the secretary of Kapit Division Dayak Iban Community Leaders’ Association (KADICLA). The association yesterday donated a wheel chair for Martin. The adviser KADICLA, Elvis Didit who is Kapit District Officer handed over the chair to Martin in the presence of the community leaders.
“Martin has been here at RumahTemuai for long time. This RumahTemuai is only for those from the rural areas to stay temporarily while seeking healthcare in Kapit. I heard Martin case from the caretaker Tuai Rumah Welfred Guyang and KADICLA has decided to buy a wheel chair for him. KADICLA can’t do much, we hope may be the government could study his case to provide the necessary assistance”, said Penghulu Daniel.
