A guiding hand: Sabah retiree spends her mornings teaching stateless kids
She did not think much of it at first, thinking that they were either waiting for the afternoon school session or playing truant.
After several weeks, she asked them why they were not in school.
'It was only then that I realised they were stateless and could not attend school owing to a lack of documents,' said the 68-year-old, who asked to be identified only as Leong, when met recently.
In her heart, she said, she felt as if she were being nudged towards extending a helping hand.
Eventually, this turned into informal learning sessions for the children, aged seven to 12.
More than six years later, Leong continues to spend her mornings teaching stateless children their ABCs, counting, simple arithmetic, some Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia, and even singing.
As a result, some manage to memorise the alphabet from A to Z, count from one to 10, sing simple songs, say their names in English, and respond to greetings.
'I feel that life has been unfair to these innocents. They did not ask to be born stateless or without documents.
'As a mother, it breaks my heart that they have to go through the cycle of being born, left to fend for themselves, grow into adults who basically can't read, write or count, and just have to run all the time,' Leong said.
She hoped the basic lessons she imparts could be a starting point for them to develop their knowledge and find jobs.
'I have friends who know about what I do, so they give me their children's or grandchildren's used bags, stationery and books to share,' she said.
Sometimes, these sessions can last up to two hours, but most of the time, they would span 30 minutes to an hour because of short attention spans, she added.
"It is quite difficult to get them to focus but sometimes, when they are in the mood, they will stay for up to two hours," she said, adding that she occasionally uses candy and other treats to hold the children's attention.
"Just so that they would listen and spend a little bit more effort learning,' she said.
Given their families' constant movements, she said some children would stop coming after a while, but newcomers would take their place.
'I hope the community will have more sympathy for these children, and for the government to have a strong will to solve this issue because children are the future leaders of this nation,' she said.
She urged the authorities to provide these children with the same opportunities as citizens, because they had potentially just as much to contribute to society as the more privileged.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
15 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
Six-year-old boy enters MBR by identifying 65 currencies in one minute
Thanks to this unique skill, his name has been recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) for the achievement of 'Most Foreign Currencies Identified by a Child in One Minute'. 03 Aug 2025 10:02am Devakshean, who was born on Sept 10, 2019 said he loves the Malaysian flag as well as Mathematics, English and Science and aspires to become a firefighter. - Bernama photo SEREMBAN - Who would have thought that at just six years old, a boy named D. Devakshean could make history with his extraordinary ability to identify 65 currencies from various countries in a single minute. Thanks to this unique skill, his name has been recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) for the achievement of 'Most Foreign Currencies Identified by a Child in One Minute'. Devakshean - Bernama photo His mother, G. Devamalar, 37, from Negeri Sembilan, said her son began showing interest in national flags when he was just one year old, and could already accurately identify and name the Malaysian flag. "From an early age, we could see his extraordinary abilities. When we showed him pictures or flags, he remembered them quickly. So, from there, we started training him, and at the age of two, he set a record by identifying over 200 countries and cities. "His memory is truly exceptional-whatever we show him, he can remember. Not only flags and currency values but much more-he picks things up quickly,' she told reporters after a certificate of recognition was presented by MBR representative V. Menaga to Devakshean here today. Devamalar said she and her husband, A. Devakumaran, 41, have always supported their only child's interests and development. She also said it took about a month of preparation to train Devakshean before applying for MBR recognition this year. "My son loves watching YouTube. So, we uploaded content such as lists of foreign currencies and the like to YouTube, and he learned on his own through that platform. He rarely plays-he enjoys reading books and learning on his own. That's just his nature. We've never forced him-it's his passion,' she said. Devamalar also hoped her son's extraordinary achievement would open doors to more opportunities, including possibly entering the Guinness World Records, and uncovering other potential areas that could be nurtured in the future. "Not many people know him yet. I hope that through media coverage, more people will learn about him and he will have opportunities to go further,' she said. Meanwhile, Devakshean, who was born on Sept 10, 2019, said he loves the Malaysian flag as well as Mathematics, English, and Science, and aspires to become a firefighter. - BERNAMA
The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Balancing BM and English
Maryam: By continuing to speak Malay, even as the world changes, we help keep a part of our identity alive. IN kindergarten, I was surrounded by adults who mostly spoke Malay. My only exposure to English was through television, so it was no surprise that I was much better at Malay. Things changed in primary school when I enrolled in an international school. The medium of instruction was English, and I interacted with people from diverse backgrounds. Over time, my Bahasa Malaysia skills weakened, as I hardly used it at school or at home. I was even placed with second-language learners of Malay. To say I was satisfied would be a lie – I wanted to be fluent in my mother tongue but struggled, especially with imbuhan (prefixes and suffixes). Still, I pushed myself to be the best in class, although that wasn't hard since my classmates had limited knowledge of the language. When Covid-19 hit and we went into lockdown, I saw it as the perfect chance to brush up on my Malay. I started speaking more with my parents and friends during online hangouts. I was determined, and eventually, I moved up to the first-language Malay class in school, which was a big step, but one I was ready for. These days, although the community I am in mostly speaks English, I cherish the moments when I get to use Malay – like when buying from stalls run by neneks and atoks who aren't fluent in English. Some are genuinely surprised that I can speak Malay beyond basic phrases, unlike other youngsters they have encountered. It is in those moments that I feel proud I didn't give up on my roots. It is important to stay connected to our heritage. For me, that simply means continuing to speak Malay. By doing so, even as the world changes, we help keep a part of our identity alive. So maybe it is time you picked up a Malay book or newspaper, took small steps and showed the world who Malaysians are – a people who can connect globally through English, the lingua franca, while preserving our national language and identity with pride. Maryam, 17, a student in Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Is it time for Malaysia to introduce a Maintenance of Parents Act?
My previous article on family feuds and the breakdown of family relationships drew strong reactions from people I know and those I don't know, from across the generations. I had obviously touched on a sensitive nerve that few want to acknowledge or do something about: The parents-children relationship. The general response was along the lines of, 'It's not that easy to forgive'; 'They have never treated me well'; 'I am happy to disown him'. Which leads me to asking, 'Is filial piety dead?', or has it evolved into what we see today – a different way of how adult children express care and concern for their ageing parents, not very different from how they shower their young children with gifts and trips? How do elderly parents want their children to love, honour and respect them? In the traditional family unit where generations lived under one roof, there was always someone around to look after the little children, and care for the elderly members. But this structure is fast disappearing, resulting in a kind of family diaspora, with the adult children moving out to seek better career prospects in other places. Elderly parents are left on their own in an empty nest. Eventually one spouse passes away, and that's when the big question comes up. What to do with the surviving ageing parent? The duty of adult children to care for their elderly parents is a core value in all religions. Filial piety extends beyond death with the practice of ancestral worship. Today both virtues are on the decline. The Chinese government had to step in with threats of public shame, fines and imprisonment for those found guilty of neglecting their elderly parents. Isn't there a better way than threats of punishment? It's no different across Asia. In India, the government passed the Senior Citizen Act, 2007, as an answer to the insecurities faced by older persons in the country. This law accords prime responsibility for the maintenance of parents on their children, grandchildren and even relatives. In Singapore, the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA) was introduced in 1995, making it a legal obligation for children to support their parents. Initially the Tribunal for MPA received hundreds of cases each year. After several amendments were introduced, the average of 170 cases between 2008 and 2010 fell to an average of about 30 cases in recent years. This is a good sign that the MPA is effective as a deterrent to abandoning one's elderly parents. Which begs the question – why is our government so hesitant about introducing a similar MPA? We cannot ignore the rising number of elderly parents ending up in old folks' homes and shelters funded the government or by the community. More than 2,000 senior citizens were abandoned at hospitals nationwide from 2018 to 2022. In 2021 alone, 752 senior citizens were abandoned at hospitals by their family members. In Malaysia, adult children are not legally bound to provide care and maintenance for their elderly parents. There are a myriad of reasons why an increasing number of adult children don't or won't take care of their frail parents. These include: • No extra room at home for their parents; • No one is free to care for them at home; • Their children come first, not their parents; • They can't afford to support their parents; • Their parents are not easy to live with; • Their parents had abused them Looking at the situation from the adult children's standpoint, there are genuine cases where the adult children themselves are caught in a financial bind, having to support their own children and care for their parents at the same time. Their financial situation forces them to choose. Invariably most couples in such situations would choose the young over the old. Makes sense. One has a whole life ahead; the other has a limited time left. So, the elderly parent finds himself packed off to a welfare home. Says an operator of a care home, 'We understand and empathise with the situation. But do visit them regularly so they don't feel abandoned. 'What is not forgivable are adult children who are doing well financially, yet refuse to support or visit their parents. Eventually, when contact with the adult children is lost, there is no hope of a reconciliation.' These adult children obviously do not have a close relationship with their parents. Possible reasons could include cases of child abuse, whether physical, emotional or sexual. We have read about such cases where parents abandon or abuse their young children. Years later, these children recall bitter memories of their abusive childhood. They now find it virtually impossible to forgive their parents and want to sever blood ties with them. There are also cases where adult children refuse to continue supporting their parents who are addicted to drugs or to gambling and incur hefty debts for their children to take care of. All these issues could potentially be resolved with the Maintenance of Parents Act, with a Tribunal to oversee the implementation and listen to every case brought to them. The Tribunal would have legal powers to check the financial status of the adult son to see if he has the means to provide for his parent. If he has, the Tribunal can order him to pay for his parent's monthly maintenance. The Tribunal's foremost role is to seek reconciliation for both parties, and to propose the best solution. The quantum of maintenance support will depend on what the adult children can afford taking into consideration their financial position and commitments. This is similar to the court granting alimony for child support in a divorce case. So, why is there this hesitation in introducing the Maintenance of Parents Act? Not all cases brought before it guarantees a win for the parents. In cases where the adult children can prove they were abused by their parent in their childhood, the Tribunal can dismiss the parent's application for maintenance. With an MPA, elderly parents who can no longer fend for themselves can have at least recourse to appeal to the Tribunal. Most parents would not want to be a burden to their children. They would rather eat less, make do with bare minimum than compel their children to care for them in their old age if the children are themselves struggling. Or if the financial support is grudgingly given. It takes very little to make our parents feel loved and happy. A phone call to ask how they are doing, a small gift of their favourite snacks, spending quality time with them, a warm hug now and then – all these don't cost much, but the joy they bring to our parents is priceless. As parents ourselves, we need to ask ourselves whether we are good role models for our adult children. If our adult children and grandchildren seem lacking in respect for their elders, are we as much to blame? Have we pampered and mollycoddled them too much? Have we allowed them to get away with indiscipline and disrespect to their parents and grandparents? The home is the first place for learning, and parents are the children's first teachers. How we treat our elderly parents is how our children will treat us one day in our old age. They will learn from us. What examples are we giving them? No matter how badly our parents may have treated us in the past, we can't stand by and do nothing for them in their time of need. This is not a game of tit-for-tat or revenge. Their blood runs in our veins. Lily Fu is a gerontologist who advocates for seniors. She is founder of SeniorsAloud, an online platform for seniors to connect and enjoy social activities for ageing well.
