It all began on June 29 when Grace Edward and her husband Kumar Subramaniam, both 37, were evicted from their home in Puchong, Selangor, after they were unable to service the rent.
The family were forced to move into their beat-up Proton Iswara, which the family had called "home", along with their poor six-year-old son.
"My son was suffering. He couldn't sleep, was cold, and was feeling feverish. I couldn't do anything to help him," the distraught mother told the Free Malaysia Today (FMT) news portal, referring to the plight of the boy who has to sleep in the backseat surrounded by plastic bags and boxes containing their possessions.
According to the report, Kumar has been facing difficulties to work as a mechanic since his accident two years ago, and whatever little work he gets, earns him about RM100 weekly, which the family spends on food and petrol.
Edward, meanwhile, is unable to find a job as she has to look after her aged mother who is hospitalised due to diabetes, kidney failure, a chronic skin condition that makes her skin dry and flaky, as well as long Covid symptoms after catching the disease last year.
To make matters worse, Edward is also unable to ask help from her extended family due to a fallout that has lasted almost two decades.
Besides being homeless, the couple's son is unable to attend school due to their predicament.
A typical meal for the family is rice with some dishes for the child, and bread for Edward and her husband. The boy has been reportedly asking for his favourite fried chicken, but his parents are unable to afford it.
The family's daily routine involves cleaning themselves up at the nearest petrol station, grabbing some food, and then heading to the hospital to visit Edward's mother.
They got a temporary reprieve after a Good Samaritan offered them his flat since July 9, but the goodwill ends this Wednesday, and the family has to move back to living in their car.
For now, the family is in dire need of financial assistance, clothing, adult diapers for Edward's mother, and support to send their son to school.
If they manage to find a place to live, Edward has plans to start a homemade nasi lemak business online.
If you wish to help Edward and her family, you can WhatsApp FMT's Helpline at 019-3899839. No calls please.
Source & Photos source: FMT