JOHOR BARU: Chinese New Year is a time to be with family members and loved ones, reuniting over dinner and lapping up the delights of sumptuous spread.
However, for Yong Quat Thai, 79, and his wife Chua Ah Luang, 73, merriment is not a priority as the elderly couple struggle to care for their two disabled children in a low cost home in Taman Gembira, here.
Both of their grown-up children require constant care as their daughter suffers from severe cerebral palsy since birth.
The couple's son Yong Kwong Yen, 43, meanwhile suffered a severe mental breakdown at the age of 17 and has schizophrenia.
With the lunar new year just around the corner, the family received an unexpected visit from the Malaysia Red Crescent (MRC).
The National Committee for Community Services committee member, Lekha Nandey, and her team brought food items, groceries, bedsheets, mattress and other essential items for Quat Thai’s family.
Upon seeing them, Quat Thai could not hide his relief and thanked them profusely for the gifts they brought for his family.
“I'm so touched. We are grateful to them,” he said.
Lekha remarked that MRC constantly embraced the spirit of giving during festive seasons.
“We know many underprivileged families, single parents as well as those from low-income families in Johor receive food aid packages and cash contributions from MRC,” she said.
She stressed that it was part and parcel of MRC to ensure these families have something on their tables during festive seasons.
Quat Thai, who was working as an odd job labourer, had to give up work to look after his son.
“Ever since he had been like that he refuses to meet or talk to anyone and has been categorised as disabled,” said Quat Thai, in between sobs.
Every week Kwong Yen receives treatment from Hospital Permai Johor Bahru where he is prescribed injection.
The couple's 41-year-old daughter is bed-ridden as her condition has worsened with each passing year.
“She is bedridden and has to be fed, cleaned, with diapers changed daily. She can’t even speak or recognise anyone,” Quat Thai said.
“We can’t leave home as they need constant care, hence one person must keep a watchful eye on the children always,” he said.
For this septuagenarian, his nagging worry is what would happen to his children should something happen to him and his wife.
As long as he has the strength, Quat Thai said he would continue to look after his family.