Single mother and cancer patient, 73, awaits aid from Department of Social Welfare

In January this year,  Rohani Harun, 73, a single mother with a disabled daughter in Taman Cendana, Masai, here, profusely thanked the Johor state Department of Social Welfare for approving her application for monthly financial assistance.

But unfortunately her joy was short-lived as the monthly financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare has not be forthcoming since April.

She said that the Department of  Social Welfare would usually notify her through a letter to collect her monthly financial assistance of RM300 at the Masai community hall, here, but since April, she has not received the notification letter.

“I am thankful to the Department of Social Welfare for their concern about my plight,” she said, adding that “we are also been dependent on monthly financial assistance of RM250 under the Baitulmal scheme.

“I felt depressed when the Department of Social Welfare failed to give me a definite answer about the five months [of missing]  financial assistance,” said a distressed Rohani.

Rohani, who is suffering from cervical cancer and asthma said she initially really felt relieved when she was informed by the Department of Social Welfare that her application for monthly financial assistance had been approved which, when added with Baitulmal assistance, allowed her RM550 monthly.

This enabled her to pay for the disposable napkins and medical expenses of Rohaya Atan, 56, her disabled daughter.

She said the People’s Complaint Centre (PAR) is helping out with their grocery needs.

She is appealing to the Department of Social Welfare to look into the matter urgently after five months of waiting.

“I am praying that the Department of Social Welfare will resume the monthly financial assistance soon to give my daughter and I a ray of hope.”