Malaysian activist Kuan Chee Heng, better known as Uncle Kentang, has revealed that he has been paying the rent of a mentally ill woman for the past five years — but says he is now too old to continue and is appealing for someone to take over.
The woman’s ordeal began when her family abandoned her, and her landlord kicked her out. Unable to work due to her mental health condition, she has had no source of income or support since.
Five years, RM30,000 spent
According to a Facebook post, Kuan found her a place to stay and has been covering the RM400 monthly rent ever since, amounting to around RM30,000 over the years.
If we don’t pay her rent, she’ll have to sleep on the streets,” Kuan wrote.
When some Facebook users suggested that she should find a job, Kuan explained that her mental illness made employment impossible. Although she still has relatives, they have refused to help her.
He also make it a point that he will bring her mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival and festive foods during Chinese New Year. If you would like to sponsor mooncakes for her, you can contact him at 018-2683999.
Not eligible for old folks’ homes
Kuan, who regularly helps the homeless and arranges placements in old folks’ homes, said this woman does not qualify as she cannot take care of herself.
Now, after half a decade of support, Kuan is concerned about how much longer he can sustain the payments and is seeking someone to continue the assistance.
Without help, the woman faces a grim reality — homelessness, no job, no family support, and a debilitating mental illness.
