Minister finds home for family of 7 living in car

Lorry driver Hilmi, his wife and their five children will not have to put up in a car anymore. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

A family of seven living in a car now have a roof over their heads, thanks to human resources minister Steven Sim.

In a Facebook post, Sim recounted how a lorry driver, known only as Hilmi, had moved from Kelantan to Penang with his wife and their five children to eke out a living.

According to Sim, Hilmi had rented a house only to be evicted much later by his landlord, despite having paid a deposit, forcing the family to put up in their car.

The car had plastic sheets covering its windows and rear windscreen, which were shattered.

“Living out of the car, Hilmi eventually had to quit his job as a lorry driver. But he never gave up and used the same car – his family’s home – to work for Lalamove,” Sim wrote.

However, the situation led to two of his children dropping out of school.

Their plight caught the attention of Sim, the Bukit Mertajam MP, who found a home, which included a sofa set, beds, stove and a refrigerator, for the family.

Sim also helped Hilmi find a job as a lorry driver and arranged for his children to return to school.

He has also committed to paying the rent for a year.

“When I gave Hilmi the keys, he teared up. I reminded him not to despair and said it was time to rebuild their lives,” he said. - FMT