Wheelchair-bound mother makes kuih to support family, fund daughter's studies

TUMPAT: Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Ramlah Abdul Rahman continues making kuih to support her family and finance her youngest daughter's university education.

The 54-year-old, from Kampung Bunohan, has been unable to walk for four years after undergoing surgery on her left leg due to diabetes.

With help from her 63-year-old husband, Sudin Matsan, she prepares the kuih for delivery to two markets.

Ramlah said savings set aside for her daughter, Siti Noor Hidayatul Hidayah Sudin, 20, to pursue higher education had been exhausted by her medical expenses.

"Although I can no longer walk, I have to continue this work because it is our family's only source of income," she said.

Hidayah is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Special Education at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, but the family could only afford her RM880 registration fee.

Ramlah said the RM1,220 tuition fee remained unpaid, while she could only give her daughter RM300 in pocket money when sending her to university more than two weeks ago.

"We are doing our best to cover her tuition fees and study necessities. Whenever she calls, she tells us she still needs several items.

"I can only ask her to be patient and promise to send money from our kuih sales when possible," she said.

Recently, lawyer Che Muhammad Redzuan Jihad, a member of the Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) Presidential Council paid Ramlah a visit.

Under his law firm's corporate social responsibility programme, Che Muhammad Redzuan presented the family with food supplies and financial assistance.

He said GPMS would refer Hidayah's case to USM's Student Affairs Division to explore assistance, including pocket money and payment of her outstanding tuition fees.

The organisation would also provide her with a laptop to support her studies.