TAA, MUIS Turn a Blind Eye to Poor Muslim Family?

Photo taken from Yasmin Osman

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Photo taken from Yasmin Osman

Today I am sad. Today I am angry.

The thing about fasting month is it trains you to curb you anger. It trains you to be matured.

Earlier this week after our last saturday FTPC Pre Ramadhan drive i recv some calls for assistance. Alhamdulillah we are trying to deliver some more groceries to those in need. Your calls and PM’s will be attended too.

But this call came in a different manner. It came not from the person who needs help. It came from a concerned father of a friends friend

Hj Kadil called me in the early hours of monday which I did not answer. He persistently call me until i answered his call (after my class). His daughter’s friend suffer Buergers Disease. I do not know what this disease is, all i know is that she can no longer walk and there is some problem with her legs.

First question I ask him was, “Haji have you tried other avenues? Because FTPC we do not give money…we only give groceries” – have to make things clear as FTPC is not affiliated with any MMO nor NGO. We do not recv any grants to give out.

His answer on monday made me uncomfortable. But today I am angry because of it.

“I have called MUIS to help them, but they say they will get Ar-Rabitah to assist because its nearest to their home – but months have pass and no one ever called back!”

silence….or in truth its simmering!

“I also called TAA for assistance but they say the dateline is already closed since May so no quota to help for this year”

I will reserve my opinion to either the end of this post or for another post.

I asked for Sis Zakiyah hp number and I called her. Her voice is soft but cheerful. She sound like a 15yrs old giggly girl to me.I told her who i am and I’d like to visit her (well its never easy to convince people to help if I didn’t see her conditions myself – we are a cynical community incase no one realise it! juz saying) I told her I’ll visit her on wed and I will call her back before I come over.

Yesterday I was busy sending samples for Our KitchenSg Hari Raya Goodies. I totally forgot about her….and my list of to do things got longer!

This morning I got awaken by Haji’s call. He sounded urgent. ” Da (family and close friends still calls me ayda!) she is in the hospital since the last 2 days…the doctors diagnosis doesnt seem too good…can you pls..pls see her today?’

Its disturbing to wake up to this kind of call…reminds me the calls i receive in the wee hours when my brother passed away many years ago…nevertheless i told him im goin this afternoon. I asked Sis Aayesha along and together we went to visit her. Along the way i recv a message that the doctors wants to amputate her right leg ASAP. I am not mentally prepared to see a person in this state but I put up a brave front.

When we arrive, she was crying in her bed accompanied by her hubby. We spoke to her & try to calm her when we ourselves are trying to fight back our tears. We chatted, We encourage and motivate her. We ask lots of questions. We want to help to the best of our capabilities.

Again FTPC have never run any drive other than our groceries pack. Sometimes I would write to a few people to ask for assistance to help some with their ‘situation’ but this is the 1st time ever I am doing a drive to raise funds for this couple.

The doctors are insisting that they make a decision right away to get the leg amputated (seriously!) but the couple ask for a bit of time to ‘istikhara’ before deciding further.

They have until tomorrow evening to give an answer.

They have a 2yrs old boy who is need of a mother’s love. The hubby is a sole breadwinner working as a despatch rider. They stay at her mum rental flat at Bt Merah (which have outstanding with HDB coz whenever she need medication they use the money meant to be paid for rental)

If you wanna help please keep them in your prayers… She is at SGH but are not accepting visitors for now coz worry about infection. Any updates can either pm me or sis Aayesha Ariana Hong.

If anyone wants to contribute to this couple you may do a fund transfer to Posb sav acct 245-92792-4. Upon trf pls sms/wa to 82918897 in this format <Zakiyah><trf amt><Ref nbr>

Again its not about the money, but any amount will be able to ease them for the time being. They are eligible zakat recipient. The choice is yours.

May Allah swt facilitates our intention and actions in this blessed month of Ramadhan.

‪#‎buergersdisease‬ ‪#‎ftpcadhocdrive‬ ‪#‎zakiyah‬ ‪#‎zakatrecepients‬

Authored by Yasmin Osman