KOTA KINABALU: Hassan Mah Abdullah's only hope is that his daughter will be able to resume her schooling until Form 5.
The 63-year-old, who worked as a personal driver, lost his source of income three years ago after a stroke.
"Now that I am wheelchair-bound, all I can rely on is my savings to cover my monthly housing loan, utility bills, and groceries commitments of approximately RM1,000.
"To reduce expenses, I eat only once a day or more if my neighbours give me something to eat. Whenever I am alone at home, I also turn off as many lights as possible at night," said the single parent when met at his residence here.
He sometimes sends his 16-year-old daughter to live with her grandmother or a friend.
Hassan explained that his daughter quit school because she did not want to burden him further with tuition and school bus fees, as well as pocket money.
He said he wanted her to resume studies as with a Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) certification, his daughter could have a better future.
"School costs at least RM500 per month for her, so she decided to drop out last year, despite her teachers personally coming to the house to encourage her to continue studying.
"She has instead been seeking employment over the last year, despite being underage. She was recently hired as a part-time employee.
"It would be a shame if she did not complete her formal education, as she only has two years left to take the SPM examination," Hassan added.