DAP to keep fighting for healthcare, social welfare improvements, says Kong

KUCHING (March 23): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) is committed to advocating for improvements to address broader healthcare and social welfare issues affecting Malaysians, said Michael Kong.

The special assistant to Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen said one of the party’s goals is to ease financial strain on families.

He said he had handed over some financial allocation to a recipient whose husband was recently hospitalised for 57 days due to haemorrhage and underwent brain surgery.

“Since his discharge, he has continued to be bedridden at home. As a result, he requires constant care and is fed through a tube, incurring significant expenses, including RM1,500 per month for specialised milk powder alone.

“With her husband unable to work, Madam Chai has taken on the role of sole breadwinner for the family,” he said in a statement.

Kong said despite working at a hardware store near her home, Chai faces immense pressure to provide for her family, including a recently adopted three-year-old child, whom her elderly mother assists in caring for during the day.

In addition to daily expenses, Chai also has to cover for household bills and her housing loan, he added.

“Although her husband had purchased Mortgage Reducing Term Assurance (MRTA) insurance for their home, the insurer has indicated that they will only disburse the insurance entitlement after monitoring his medical condition for six months, leaving Madam Chai responsible for full loan instalments in the interim.

“To alleviate Madam Chai’s financial burden, I have provided her with a financial allocation. Furthermore, I have encouraged her to inform us of any further difficulties she may encounter, so that we can explore additional avenues of assistance,” he said.

Kong said DAP is dedicated to supporting individuals like Chai.

“Our goal is also to offer genuine support to other Malaysians who are suffering similar issues through comprehensive policy measures,” he said.