This simple belief has been the foundation of Kuan’s life of philanthropy. Uncle Kentang, as he is affectionately known, has been on a lifelong mission to reduce the hold poverty has on people.
He has launched many programmes from food distribution campaigns, RM1 ambulance services, to a 10 sen daycare centre, and many more.
Most recently, Kuan has opened a home in Presint 17, Putrajaya for cancer patients receiving treatment at Hospital Putrajaya or the National Cancer Institute (Institut Kanser Negara).
This is not a new initiative for Kuan. It is the latest addition to seven other homes he operates around Klang Valley for impoverished people with medical needs (and their caretakers) who need a place to stay.
Kuan said people ask him why he goes to the trouble of helping total strangers. His answer is simple. “They need a place to stay.”
His focus is not on the expense or the logistics and least of all, the difficulty for himself. “We discovered that (people) are sleeping in their cars, sleeping on walkways, and facing financial difficulties.”
Kuan said that cancer treatment and treatments for other serious illnesses can last a long time. It is especially hard for the impoverished. They and their caretakers may need to travel a great distance to be near the hospital and cannot afford accommodation in the city.
Kuan wants to ensure that no one goes without medical treatment for a lack of means. “It’s proper to provide people some comfort during their trying times.”
Every RM1 home is fully furnished with air conditioners, WiFi, a fully stocked kitchen, and every other facility to provide a comfortable standard of living.
Kuan also makes sure to observe halal requirements for the homes so that Muslims who need to use the facilities can have peace of mind.
In addition to the homes, Kuan provides a chaperone/chauffeur to aid caretakers in taking patients to and from the treatment centres. None of this is cheap but again, Kuan has a simple and direct philosophy about it. He said, “In the fight against cancer and other illnesses, if they do not give up, we also must not give up.”
Kuan’s motivation comes from empathy.
As a child, Kuan lost his father to cancer. He came from a poverty-stricken family and knows the isolation and despair of having nothing to one’s name.
“People would shun us. I cannot blame them – we were too poor at that time. They were afraid we would ask to borrow money.”
Yet, this has only made him more determined to help others. “When life is unfair to you, you cannot be unfair to others,” he explained.
As an adult, Kuan has spared numerous children from experiencing the terrible loss that is the death of a parent. He believes that true happiness lies in the act of giving. He describes himself as a happy man because he gets to help people every day.
The initiatives and programmes Kuan has begun are a way to encourage Malaysians to see that there are many ways to help the underprivileged.
“We’re very lucky because Malaysians are very kind.” The outpouring of support, whether through volunteering or in donations, every time there is a need, renews his belief in the future of Malaysia.
Kuan’s hope is to see government policies geared towards helping people break the vicious cycle of poverty. “People must be motivated. When you are poor and you’re not inspired to hope for more, you will remain poor,” he said.
Kuan believes that anyone capable of working must be given the chance to work. He would like to see legislative actions formulated to give people the opportunities they need to lift themselves out of poverty. “You have to give people an avenue to save themselves,” Kuan stated.
Reach out to Uncle Kentang at 018 268 3999 or his website to find out how you can donate or receive aid. Donations can also be made via the Kentang Fund.