Young Man and His Grandmother Invite Their 87-Year-Old Neighbor to Live with Them

“I promise, Uncle, I’ll take excellent care of you.”

Thinagaran, a Malaysian-Indian man, invited his 87-year-old Chinese neighbor to live with him and his 71-year-old grandmother, Puan Kamala, all of whom live in Kuantan. Despite the fact that Thinagaran only earns RM1,500 to RM1,800 per month, this never disturbed them as long as they kept close together.

Thinagaran and his grandmother, according to Sin Chew Daily, reside on the second floor of a two-story terrace house they are now renting in Kubang Buaya, Kuantan.

Thinagaran is employed in the construction sector and earns between RM50 and RM60 each day. Despite the fact that this is insufficient to meet their daily requirements, he did not hesitate to ask Mr. Pak Cik Yap, or Uncle Yap, his elderly neighbor, to live with them. The three formed an endearing bond that lasted over a decade.

Thinagaran and his family shared a wooden home with Uncle Yap when he was a youngster. He had to say goodbye to his father. However, their home was demolished a few years ago, so Thinagaran invited Uncle Yap to live with him and his grandmother until they could locate a new home.

Uncle Yap, he added, used to look for Thinagaran and his sister when they were younger and was like a father to them.

“He was my guardian as I grew up. He took me to school and taught me crafts,” he claimed.

Thinagaran previously worked in a tire store. When he was in an accident four years ago, he quit. He had to take time off work after undergoing surgery to replace a steel rod in his left foot owing to a fracture. Working in a tire store required a lot of bending.

His monthly income was lowered from RM2,200 to as low as RM1,500 while he worked as a construction worker.

Puan Kamala, his grandmother, receives an RM350 monthly government welfare allowance. They pay RM400 in rent every month, as well as RM100 in food and utilities costs. Thinagaran, who is a diligent worker, takes on other occupations to supplement his income.

Fortunately, his grandma and Uncle Yap are both in good health. Despite having mild asthma issues and Uncle Yap having weak legs, Kamala and Uncle Yap are both strong and doing well.

Uncle Yap has never married and has two younger brothers, both of whom have died. He has a crimson Identification Card (IC) because he petitioned for citizenship, but because he couldn’t recall his parents’ names, he wasn’t awarded full citizenship privileges.

People have mocked Kamala throughout the years, claiming that Uncle Yap was her lover. She just ignores the ridicules since she knows they are untrue, and she couldn’t care less what others thought of them.

The friendship tie between these three persons is more than family, despite the fact that they are not blood relatives. They are true role models.