Sadly, things are very different for this 49-year-old Sabahan, who goes only by the nickname Kumit.

Doctors have confirmed that he is suffering from tuberculosis and other illnesses yet to be diagnosed. He looks very frail lying on his hospital bed.

Kumit wants to go home to be with his family for the holidays, but his doctors have told him that he is too ill to travel.

And anyway, he wouldn’t know where to go as he has been gone so long he lost all touch with his family years ago.

Kumit left Sandakan around 30 years ago, dreaming of a brighter future. He was sure he would find it in Kuala Lumpur.

However, like so many who arrive on KL’s bustling streets with few or no contacts, little experience, and no qualifications, he soon found himself in and out of menial casual work.

It was not too long before he had no choice but to resort to living on the streets.

His dream had turned into a nightmare and he found that bad company was the only company he could keep on the street. And in bad company, there are bad habits to be picked up.

Kechara Soup Kitchen first met Kumit during one of their food distribution missions to the homeless in the city.

Project director Justin Cheah told FMT, “We found Kumit sheltering in an empty building in Imbi. He began to drop by our centre for lunch on weekdays.”

Cheah said Kumit is just one of many East Malaysians they meet when distributing food to the homeless.

This year, they have met more than 700 Sabahans and Sarawakians aged between 18 and 60 living rough on the streets of the capital.

Kechara’s volunteers hear their sad stories. Some got scammed and taken advantage of along the way, some got sick, and none could afford to return home.

“Some of them are just troubled, involved in alcohol and drugs. We manage to assist some to return to their home towns,” said Cheah.

Kechara Soup Kitchen is a non-religious community that distributes food, basic medical aid and counselling to the homeless and urban poor.

They try to provide a glimmer of hope where all may be lost, but that costs money and they rely on public donations.

“We do need more funds to continue our work,” says Cheah.

Christmas and New Year are the perfect time to spread love and joy by donating to the homeless.

There are other ways to help as well as money.

Anyone interested in donating food, medical items, clothing or toiletries for the homeless may contact Cheah at 010-333 3260 or visit their website for more information.

At least Kumit is not sleeping rough on the streets right now. He’ll be in a hospital bed for a little longer. He is lucky because Kechara is covering his medical costs.

But after he leaves hospital?

Once you finally accept that the streets are never going to be paved with gold for you, and a half-forgotten home is impossibly far away across the sea, what do you do?

It’s easy to see the future for Kumit is not bright if he returns to living on the streets.

But neither he nor Kechara know where they can find his family or any relatives who might take care of him.

It’s a little late for Christmas but FMT is currently trying to contact anyone in Sabah who may remember Kumit.