KUCHING, Feb 19 — Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii has engaged a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to help out a family in his constituency.

He said the sole breadwinner of this family used to operate a small hawker’s stall but because of some health conditions, he had been unable to work for quite some time.

"He has diabetes and other chronic diseases as well. He already had a leg amputated, and has been in the hospital for more than a month, where his wife and sons are taking care of him,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Dr Yii also learned that one of his sons, aged 13, was born without his parents ever getting officially married.

"The boy’s mother is not a Malaysian citizen. Because of that, the boy does not have any identification card and thus, is unable to get proper education – he has never even been to school.”

Dr Yii said when he first found out about the boy’s situation, he did his best to find ways to ensure that the child could have some form of education and life skills so that he could at least take care of himself in the future.

"I asked the boy if he wanted to study, and he said he did, so that he could grow up to become a better person.

"I’m able to connect to one NGO that is willing to provide him with some education.

"Thanks to D’Wira Educational Association and its principal Jap Siew Moi, for willing to take the boy in and teach him the basics to ensure that he can read, write and count.

"The lessons would focus on two main languages and also Mathematics, before moving to teach the boy some basic sciences,” said the parliamentarian.

According to him, the centre accommodates children over the age of three years old and youths under 21, who are in the process of applying for citizenship or those who are without proper identity documents.

"While we will try our best to help the family, more importantly we want to ensure that the boy gets some basic education.

"We may not have much, but we will do as much as we can,” said Yii. — Borneo Post