BUKIT MERTAJAM: A family that was once forced to live in an old car after falling victim to a scam has rebuilt its life with dignity and hard work, becoming a symbol of resilience and hope.
Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim Chee Keong recalled meeting Mohd Hilmi Nordin, 37, a year ago, who had travelled from Kelantan to Bukit Mertajam seeking a better life for his family, only for their plans to be derailed after a scam left them homeless.
All seven family members slept in a worn-out car.
“Recently, I received a WhatsApp message from Hilmi wishing me Merry Christmas and inviting me to visit his home, while thanking me for giving the family a chance to start anew,” Sim said.
“The man I met a year ago, who was sitting on a tattered banner beside an old car with his wife and children, is now standing confidently in front of his own home with a smile,” he added.
Sim said Hilmi now rents a modest but comfortable house, paying for it himself, and works full-time as a lorry driver, earning more than RM5,000 a month.
“It may not be an expensive car, but the Waja is sufficient for work and family needs, and more importantly, Hilmi no longer wants to live burdened by debt,” Sim said.
“There is now tea in a jug, a refrigerator in the kitchen and smiles all around,” he noted, describing Hilmi’s wife, Yani, as radiant while carrying their youngest child.
“They did not beg or complain, but worked hard, cared for their children with love and refused to give up,” Sim said, praising the couple’s perseverance.
Sim stressed that the story was not about gratitude, but about perseverance. “When people are helped out of hardship, it does not only change their lives but also the future of their children,” he said.
Previously, Sim had provided the family with a home after their ordeal captured national attention in December 2024.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
