Fiery end to nephew’s rage against his 3 blind aunts

Perlis prince Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail listens to Halijah Ibrahim, Che Manai and Zainah who lost their century-old home in a fire. (Bernama pic)

ARAU: Three blind, elderly women were left homeless when their 100-year-old ancestral home in Kampung Titi Besi was destroyed in a blaze yesterday.

In the 4pm incident, Halijah Ibrahim, 78, Che Manai, 73 and Zainah, 67, lost about RM10,000 when their cash, jewellery, land grant and Hari Raya clothes were destroyed in the fire.

They said their nephew set the house on fire after they refused to lend him money to buy glue.

“He asked me for RM50. When I said that I did not have the money he became enraged and left the house. I rejected his request because I knew he would use the money to buy glue (for glue sniffing),” said Che Manai.

She said she had raised her nephew since he was 10.

The story of the three sisters caught the attention of Perlis Menteri Besar Azlan Man who visited them with Guar Sanji assemblyman Mohd Ridzuan Hashim.

They are now taking shelter at their handicrafts workshop located adjacent to their destroyed house.

Azlan said the state government would work together with the Perlis Islamic and Malay Customs Council to build a new home for them.

Meanwhile, Perlis police chief Noor Mushar Mohamad said a man had confessed to the crime. - FMT