How Anwar Helped Save This Penang Woman's Ancestral Home Twice In 30 Years
Aunty Woon lives a life of constant hardship — scraping by each day with no certainty of tomorrow.
By Sadho Ram — 24 Mar 2025, 12:23 PM
At 57, Auntie Woon carries a burden many would struggle to bear
She is not just looking after herself, she is the sole caretaker of her two elder brothers. Ah Kong, 59, has been bedridden for years, while Ah Keong, 62, is a person with a mental disability.
The three siblings live in a house that is falling apart.
Located in Permatang Pauh, the wooden beams and walls are rotting, the floor is cracked, and every room is filled with recyclable items, Auntie Woon's only means of survival.
Yet, for all its flaws, this house is precious to her. It is their only inheritance, the last physical link to their late parents. But more than that, it is the home their late father bought decades ago, the home they almost lost.
In the 1990s, their family was on the brink of eviction
After being scammed, they were left desperate, seeking help wherever they could.
"At that time, they went everywhere looking for help. Not a single one helped them. They had sought out politicians and elected representatives, but none wanted to help," Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim said.
Then, one day, their late sister took a chance, Sim revealed in his Facebook post yesterday, 23 March.
She approached Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who was then the deputy prime minister and Permatang Pauh MP.
"She was just an ordinary citizen, yet Anwar's bodyguards did not stop her. Instead, Anwar listened. 'Can I help you?' he asked. And just like that, he did," Sim, who is also the Human Resources Minister, said.
Anwar's assistance ensured that their family's ancestral home remained theirs. Their sister had told them to never forget this moment — never forget that Anwar Ibrahim saved their home.
Now, years later, those who had once fought to keep the home are gone. Their parents have passed. Their sister, too, is no longer here.
Only old photographs remain on the crumbling walls, a sign of the bond they shared despite the hardships. And in the middle of it all, Auntie Woon struggles on. Every day, she goes out to collect recyclables, eking out a meagre living. It is a life of constant hardship — scraping by each day with no certainty of tomorrow.
One day, Sim learned about the family's situation. When he met Auntie Woon, she told him the same thing she had told so many others: no one had come to help. But this time was different.
He reassured her, "Don't worry, Anwar asked me to come and help."
At that moment, Sim had no idea that Anwar had already helped this very family three decades ago. He only knew that he had a job to do, to ensure that these three elderly siblings could live with dignity.
Sim and his team worked quickly. In just one month, they managed to restore and rebuild the home, making it livable once again.
When Sim returned to visit Auntie Woon, he joked, "Your house now looks like a bungalow fit for the wealthy!"
She laughed, saying she never imagined she would live in such a house. And then, she told him the story. The story of how, 30 years ago, Anwar had saved their home for the first time.
And now, three decades later, he had done it again.
Sim assured her that even though she does not live in his constituency, Anwar had personally instructed him to help her.
