KUCHING: A former footballer who was once the toast of Samarahan is now battling multiple illnesses in silence.
Hope Place Kuching recently visited 62-year-old Lukas Baki at Kampung Merdang Lumut, where he lives alone in a dilapidated wooden house with no stable income and no immediate family to care for him.
Once a security guard and later a school gardener, Lukas was forced to stop working about a decade ago due to rapidly deteriorating health.
According to his medical records, Lukas suffers from epilepsy, diabetes, gout, hearing impairment, and cataracts. His most recent hospitalisation due to epilepsy was in July last year.
Despite his physical decline, Lukas still holds on to his glory days.
“I used to represent the Samarahan District Football team, and we won many championships,” Lukas shared proudly with the Hope Place team, pointing to a table filled with gleaming trophies.
His love for football makes it especially difficult for him to accept that gout has permanently sidelined him from the game he loves.
Fortunately, Lukas is not entirely alone. His village community is known for its close-knit and caring spirit and it was the village head who initially reached out to Hope Place about Lukas’s condition.
His neighbours frequently help him with hospital visits, ATM withdrawals, and even bring him home-cooked meals. Friendly and sociable, Lukas is a familiar face around the village, often making rounds to visit others despite his quiet nature.
Currently, Lukas survives on a RM500 monthly welfare allowance. Hope Place is supporting him with ongoing basic food aid.
For those interested in helping Lukas or others in similar situations, Hope Place (Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching) can be contacted at 082-505987 or 013-5672775.
