Compiled by BENJAMIN LEE, R. ARAVINTHAN and C. ARUNO
A HOUSEWIFE in Johor was forced to pawn off her phone for RM80 to make ends meet after a stroke left her unable to earn a living, reported Harian Metro.
Norazifa Othman, 40, has been left with blurry vision, especially in her right eye, as well as a weakness in her limbs that limits her movement since she suffered a stroke about a month ago.
The mother of two had to rely entirely on her husband Mohd Fauzi Haron’s salary to support their family as the latter juggles between work and caring for Norazifa and their disabled five-year-old son.
Doctors told Norazifa that her stroke was due to high blood pressure, believed to have been caused by a lack of rest as well as an unbalanced diet.
“Doctors confirmed that I had a blood clot in my brain and was at serious risk of having a second stroke if I don’t rest.
“My husband used to be able to care for our son when I went out to work as a masseuse.
“With assistance from the Johor Islamic Religious Council and Social Welfare Department of around RM1,000, this is enough to cover rent and some of our needs.
“Now, my husband has to take care of both of us financially and physically,” she said.
Fortunately for the family, Norazifa said her 16-year-old child understands their dire financial situation as she continues her studies at the Mara Science Junior High School in Masai.
“My daughter Fatin Nur Azwani understands our situation as she returned to her dormitory without new school supplies, which we can’t afford.
“I feel a heavy sense of guilt in my heart for forcing her to bear this responsibility.
“I hope to recover quickly and return to work to ease my family’s burden,” she added.
● The above article is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this ' >'sign, it denotes a separate news item.
