KUCHING: She was left with no choice but to file for divorce when she could no longer tolerate the alleged beatings by her abusive husband every time he came home drunk.
The last straw was when even their eldest daughter was beaten up which caused hearing problem in her left ear.
The dark episode happened sometime in 2016.
After filing for divorce, 46-year-old Suriati Mat Zen then decided to move here from Sibu.
Now Suriati rents a small room on the fourth floor of a shop at Rock Road here.
However, she has not found light at the end of her tunnel just yet.
Three of her four children are still of school-going age and she would have to juggle between sending and picking them up to and from school while trying to find income to make ends meet every other day.
Due to her hectic routine, she has not been able to find a permanent job.
Yesterday, Suriati’s case was brought to the attention of Hope Place Kuching District where the single mother was able to pour her grievances to Hope Place founder Kelvin Wan in the presence of his colleague, Griffin Deng.
According to Wan, based on information gathered from Suriati, she is not a Malaysian but her ex-husband is.
Currrently, she receives some financial help from Tabung Baitulmal Sarawak once every three months in addition to RM300 monthly from the Social Welfare Department.
Yesterday, Wan and his colleague went to Suriati’s rented room to deliver some basic food items.
More information about Hope Place can be obtained by calling 082-505 987. The opening hours are from 8.30am to 5.30pm (Mondays to Fridays) and from 8.45am to 12pm on Saturdays.
Wan, said to date Hope Place is providing some basic food rations to more than 190 needy families.
Should the public be interested to give cash donations, the cheques must be made payable to Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching using Maybank 5112-8900-1160.
