News

Woman’s World Collapses After Coronavirus Claims Husband’s Life

LABUAN, March 15 — Bong Siew Lan’s world collapsed on Nov 3 last year. It was on that fateful day that the coronavirus claimed her husband’s life.

Foo Kok Meng died at the Labuan Hospital, two months short of his 66th birthday. The coffee shop owner was on a ventilator, having been warded in October after testing positive for COVID-19.

Siew Lan, 66, herself served out a quarantine period once her husband was admitted to the hospital. She tested negative for the coronavirus.

“I did not think either one of us would be alone so early in our lives,” she lamented to Bernama on Friday when Labuan Natural Disaster Management Committee chairman Rithuan Ismail visited her at home to hand over a cheque for RM5,000 from the COVID-19 Funeral Special Assistance Fund.

Kok Meng was one of the 1,210 people in Malaysia who had succumbed to COVID-19 as of March 14.

He developed a cough after returning from voting in the Sabah state election on Sept 26 last year. As the cough worsened, Siew Lan’s sister Ah Kam, 59, forced the reluctant Kok Meng into her car and took him to a private clinic and later to the hospital.

The hospital informed Siew Lan on Oct 26 that Kok Meng had COVID-19. Her husband had difficulty breathing, and this continued to worsen. He was then hooked up to a ventilator.

Siew Lan could neither hold his hand nor talk to him because of the standard operating procedures in place due to the infection. Their four children are working in Singapore.

Now, she is all alone at home with no one to talk to. Sometimes she stares at the empty bed, the bare dining table. The house is “empty”. Everywhere she looks, she is reminded of the good times, which makes her sad and in tears.

“It is worse at night. I haven’t had to sleep alone for over 50 years,” she lamented.

The aid from the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) has brought some relief but not happiness.

Siew Lan was the second recipient of the COVID-19 fund aid, and according to Rithuan, the remaining Malaysian beneficiaries would receive it in stages.

Sources: BERNAMA

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Zoom into Brilliance, HUAWEI Pura 80 Series Arrives in Malaysia with Unmatched Camera Power and Striking Design

HUAWEI Malaysia has officially unveiled its next-generation flagship lineup, the HUAWEI Pura 80 Series, setting a… Read More

20 hours ago

PayNet Joins MIT CSAIL’s FinTechAI Initiative as Sole Malaysian Member, Pioneering Ethical AI in Finance

Payments Network Malaysia Sdn Bhd (PayNet) has been named the sole Malaysian founding member of… Read More

21 hours ago

NakNak’s Bold Bulgogi Series: Big Flavours, Korean Vibes & A Side of Curly Fries

Homegrown quick service restaurant brand NakNak is turning up the flavour this season with the… Read More

2 days ago

Eco-Shop Ushers in Merdeka Spirit with Nationwide “Satu Senyuman, Seribu Makna” Campaign

Eco-Shop, Malaysia’s Leading Ultra Affordable Household Retailer, is calling on Malaysians to rediscover the beauty… Read More

2 days ago

Stephen Curry Takes Curry Camp Global, First Stop, Asia!

Stephen Curry is going global. For the first time ever, his iconic Curry Camp is… Read More

2 days ago

Charge Fast, Stay Cool, Live Free CUKTECH Celebrates Merdeka with Pocket-Sized Power Tools

Say hello to hassle-free charging, cool commutes, and gadgets that just work, anytime, anywhere. The… Read More

2 days ago

This website uses cookies.