KUCHING: The recent case of a blind woman in Samarahan who lived alone highlights the importance of community support for vulnerable residents.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, emphasised the role of the Social Welfare Department (JKM) in providing various forms of assistance, including home-based services and community volunteer support.
She pointed out that ensuring the wellbeing of senior citizens and persons with disabilities (OKU) requires the active involvement of community leaders and volunteers to provide timely assistance.
“JKM has volunteers who can help clean homes, accompany the elderly, or bring them to the hospital.
“Sometimes families cannot help due to distance. Therefore, village community leaders must be alert and ensure those in need receive the appropriate assistance,” she stressed.
Nancy said this when met with reporters after officiating the Nyamai Sarawak Gastronomy Festival 2025 at Rumah Melayu, Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) today.
She highlighted that the case concerned a visually impaired woman who had to crawl from her home to seek help following the death of her daughter six days earlier.
“It is understood that the victim lived in a forested area – not extremely dense, but still quite far inside. In fact, she is 69 years old and lived alone with her daughter,” she added.
She said that the woman has now been placed at Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) for health checks and further assessment.
“Thankfully, she has been brought to RSK. She will undergo a health examination before other procedures. It is better for her to stay there.
“However, if she had family or relatives, of course they would take her in, but at the moment, there is no one,” she said.
For the record, the victim had crawled in a weakened and blind condition until she eventually reached the roadside in the early hours on Friday, where she was found by members of the public.
