LETTER | I am in a predicament and no one can help me. In November 2015, my 62-year-old husband and I were preparing to go to our respective workplaces when he suffered a stroke in the right hemisphere of his brain. We quickly went to the nearest hospital (Hospital Seberang Jaya) where he was warded for eight days. The doctor explained to me that it was a massive stroke, one that he may not survive.

This was only the beginning of our problems. My husband lived but suffered from post-stroke epilepsy several times. We were in and out of the hospital. He was unable to stand in the first six months and was given two months medical leave as he cannot return to work as a van driver.

Eventually, he had to resign. With no children, I became the sole income earner and also his primary caregiver. To take care of him, I had to cut down on my working hours and now I only work part-time. I go to work in the mornings and pay an allowance to a neighbour to help keep an eye on him.

Given our situation, I was advised to seek assistance from Socso and the Welfare Department. As we were both old-aged persons who worked past retirement age and my husband had become immobile, I sincerely hoped for any kind of assistance available to me at that point.

Hopeful, we approached Sosco Seberang Jaya and attended an interview with them as required. My husband had been working up until the day he suffered the stroke which meant he had been paying monthly contributions.

It came as a shock to us when we were told that he was not qualified to claim or receive any support from Socso. Firstly, we were told that claims were only valid for accidents but not for stroke. As stroke is known as a cerebral vascular accident (CVA) which certainly affects an employee’s ability to work, we are disappointed as to why Socso refuses to recognise it as such.

Secondly, we were told that Socso contributions were solely from the employer for an employee over 60 years of age. Apparently, this only covers the injury scheme which he does not qualify for. Further than that, we were not offered any further support or given any recommendations as to what we could do.

We then turned to the Welfare Department for help. Here, we were told that we do not qualify for financial assistance because my salary is above RM800 and we own a low-cost flat. We also did not qualify for “bantuan pesakit kronik terlantar” as my husband is immobile, but not bedridden.

These factors prevented us from gaining any assistance at all. I believe that the poverty line income of RM800 is too low and needs to be updated to reflect the current median income levels. Does the Welfare Department consider the plight of a single-income family? The cost of hiring a carer will cost up to RM3,000 a month, while the cost of a domestic worker can cost up to RM1,500.

As I cannot afford these luxuries, I would have to give up my job completely to care for my husband full-time. Perhaps when we are both unemployed, we would finally qualify for the RM300 financial assistance - which would still be grossly inadequate to support us both.

Moreover, the department refuses to register my husband as an OKU as we were told that stroke is not a disability. We have been told that they will reconsider only after three years if my husband’s condition does not improve. I am very disappointed that the disability registration works as such - to put it crudely, if you were immobile for three years, you would not receive any support for that period of time and would have to fend for yourself.

If you do end up being immobile for the rest of your life due to a stroke, you do not receive support in the first three years. I find this very unreasonable - shouldn’t the Welfare Department provide support when it is needed and review the level of support given annually? If my husband’s condition does improve by three years, we would gladly accept less support by then.

It has been almost 3 years since my husband’s stroke – it has been and still is, a very difficult time for us. He is still unable to stand or move around independently, and I cannot foresee a better time ahead.

The welfare system is clearly flawed. As Malaysians, we sincerely hope that the new government will pay more attention to improving its various welfare and protection systems. I hope that the system can one day ensure that all citizens’ well-being is taken care of so no one in similar predicaments would have to experience what we are going through now.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.