An elderly woman's long-cherished dream of performing the hajj next year has been jeopardized after termites infested and devoured her life savings of RM30,000.
The woman, identified as Zainab Sulong, had painstakingly accumulated the cash over several years by selling homemade pastries in small quantities.
Muhammad Khairul Azhar Mat Nawi, Zainab's grandson and a secondary school teacher in Gua Musang, Kelantan, revealed that the family discovered the unfortunate incident through a WhatsApp message shared by his mother, Zainab Rahim.
Photo via hmetro
Khairul recounted in a recent Facebook post that the incident came to light when his grandmother informed his mother about the termites damaging the money kept at her home in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan. Shockingly, the amount lost included both Malaysian and Thai currencies, totaling RM30,000. An image attached to the post displayed the heartbreaking sight of the destroyed ringgit notes, seemingly stored in a shoe box.
The family was completely unaware of Zainab's decision to store such a significant sum of money in cloth under a box at home. Khairul expressed regret, stating that had they known about it earlier, they would have strongly advised her against it.
He mentioned that they were aware of Zainab's intention to perform the hajj with a private company the following year, and they believed she had saved enough money for the pilgrimage. However, they never imagined she would keep the funds at home, potentially due to the convenience it offered for her, being 72 years old.
Khairul has decided to send the damaged money to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) for evaluation. Yet, his initial inquiry at a local bank in Gua Musang yielded discouraging results. The bank informed him that exchanging the damaged notes for new ones might not be possible, especially if the damage exceeded 50%. Nevertheless, they assured him that they would assess the genuine notes' actual value regardless of the extent of the damage.
While they deal with the evaluation process, Khairul and his siblings are already planning to rally support and raise funds to replace their grandmother's devastated savings. Despite the unfortunate setback, their determination remains strong, and their immediate goal is to send Zainab for Umrah next year as a gesture of love and support.
While it is understandable that some individuals may feel more comfortable keeping cash at home, the risks involved make it an unwise choice for safeguarding one's savings. Utilizing bank accounts or other financial instruments can provide better security, growth potential, and peace of mind.
