Stories by ELAN PERUMAL and CHRISTINA TAN

elan@thestar.com.my

THE Myanmar community in Klang who have made begging their livelihood claim that the lack of job opportunities has forced them to resort to it.

They said that their status as refugees — under the auspices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — only allowed them to stay on temporarily in this country.

Camera shy: A mother hurriedly whisking away her child after the Starprobe team in Klang.

One of them, who wished to be known as Sofinah, 34, said she entered Malaysia with six children, adding that she got married at the age of 12.

She said her eldest son, who was 18, had left the family, adding that she had to fend for the other children, including an eight-month old.

“My mother is sick. My husband and I have to feed the family and pay rental for the home.

“We are not allowed to work or do business,” she said, adding that the children were also not allowed to attend government schools.

Her husband, Salim Mohamed, 51, who walks with the help of crutches, said the family was in a dilemma.

He said he had no choice but to join his wife “to beg for survival.”

“The UNHCR status has helped us to live safely in this country since we are not accepted back home but there is nothing much we can do here,” he said.

A 28-year-old beggar, who wished to be identified as Bahorosha, said she had four children aged between five and 13.

She claimed that her children attended a private school in the morning and only joined her in the afternoon.

Bahrosha said her husband had left her and she had to resort to begging.

“I’m worried for the future of my children, especially my three daughters,” she said.

“I cannot imagine what their future will be and pray that they will not have to continue begging for the rest of their lives,” said Bahrosha, who came to Malaysia when she was only two years old.