Hardship forces family of four to live in deserted goat pen

 

A couple and their two children were forced to live in a makeshift shelter in what to be a goat pen near Kampung Babong in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Mohd Azlam Yusof, 26, and his wife, Raja Sazila Raja Hanuzi, 24, alongside their two children Nur Aidyah Syafiqah, six, and Amsyar Syazuran, one, have been living in the modified goat pen for the last six years.

As if their hardship wasn’t enough, the Covid-19 pandemic caused Mohd Azam to lose his income as he was unable to work.

His wife Raja Sazila said the family was staying in a house nearby that belonged to Mohd Azlam’s mother before they made the decision to turn the goat pen into their new shelter.

“Initially, the goat pen was small, my husband then modified it to add more space for comfort.

“For as long as we’re staying here, the hardest part has been during rainy days when the whole house would be wet due to the leaking roofs.

"This causes the four of us to have a hard time sleeping, and the wooden floor to almost rot away,” she told the media.

Raja Sazila said her husband worked as a carpenter with an RM50 daily income, but since the pandemic last year, he was forced out of work, and thus lost their income.

She said since then, the four of them have had to go hungry from time to time and that the movement control order (MCO) 3.0 has again forced her husband out of work just as he was resuming and made the situation direr.

“If there are eggs for a meal, that would be enough, and sometimes even chicken skin would do as a dish.

“My husband couldn’t rent elsewhere, so this is where we have to hang on, and we’re also sharing the toilet and bathroom at my mother-in-law’s house.

“The electricity is also extended from there. I wish for nothing but a more comfortable shelter than what we have now,” she said.

Previously, the family was visited by Kelantan Amanah Youth chief Hazmi Hassan who provided aid to them.

Hazmi said his team has donated a motorcycle to Mohd Azlam through the NGO Pertubuhan Amal Harapan Kelantan.

“We initially wanted to build a house for them, but there appear to be other people who had stated their commitment to build a house for this family.

“So, since they do not have a vehicle, we donated a motorcycle that cost around RM6,000 for the family’s needs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Raja Sazila said there were people who visited them last week and promised to build them a house.

“We hope it becomes a reality, so we can stay in a more comfortable place,” she said while also thanking people who willingly help them. - Mkini