Countless Malaysians brave the crossing to Singapore in the hope of working and earning more for their families.
However, their dream can be shattered in an instant if something untoward happens while they’re making the journey.
Just take the 23-year-old Malaysian chef who was injured in an accident while crossing the Causeway to work here.
Source: Google Maps
He has already racked up S$116,000 in hospital bills in Singapore.
The unfortunate accident occurred on 8 Sep, reported Malaysia’s China Press.
Mr Mohammad Maadi, 23, was crossing the Causeway on the way to Singapore on that day.
Horrifically, he was run over by a truck.
The accident left Mr Maadi with multiple serious injuries, including a fractured spine.
He was rushed to hospital in Singapore and underwent surgery to repair his spinal cord.
While he’s currently recovering, doctors estimate that it will take him six months to two years to recover fully.
Source: China Press via 8world News on Facebook
However, Mr Maadi’s family might not be able to afford having him warded for so long in Singapore.
His mother Noor Azlina told Malay-language Harian Metro in an interview that his medical bills had come up to RM400,000 (S$116,000) in a few days.
As they continue to increase, she hopes to take him back to Johor Bahru for treatment, the 53-year-old said.
The family wanted to do the transfer earlier but couldn’t rush things because Mr Maadi’s injuries were serious and he needed intensive care.
The Singapore Accident Help Center (SAHC) Johor, a non-profit, will contact the Singapore Embassy to arrange his transfer to a JB hospital.
They will also provide financial assistance to his family.
Doctors in JB are now liaising with their counterparts in Singapore to discuss the next steps.
Ms Noor Azlina said her son had found a job as a chef in Singapore less than two months before the accident.
His employer, a Korean, is very concerned about his condition and visits him in hospital often, she added.
As her two daughters also work in Singapore, he is being cared for by them.
Since Mr Maadi was admitted to hospital, Ms Noor Azlina has seen him only via video calls, she said.
During their daily calls, he would tell her not to worry and everything would be okay, she added.
He was the one who’d always taken care of his parents, including his father who has diabetes, kidney disease, and heart problems.
As Mr Maadi’s father needed to be hospitalised often, the couple moved from Skudai to JB to live with their son and daughter-in-law.
Having come to Singapore to work and support his family, it must be devastating to suffer injuries that could cause his family to fork out thousands in bills.
As serious as the injuries are, we hope Mr Maadi will make a quick and complete recovery, so he’ll be able to continue carrying on with his life.
Also read: M’sian Student Meets With Accident In Woodlands Days After Coming To S’pore For Studies
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Featured image adapted from China Press via 8world News on Facebook.
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