By Adie Suri Zulkefli

TASEK GELUGOR, MALAYSIA - Two children from a poor family in Permatang Sungai Dua here who longed to attend school like other children had their wish granted on Monday.

Mohd Saufi Zulkifli, 9, and his sister Norshuhadah, 7, were all excited when they started their first day of school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Dua here.

Saufi enrolled in school last year but had to stop schooling early this year as his parents could not afford to finance his studies.

Norshuhadah was supposed to start schooling early this year, but never made it for similar reasons.

Their prayers were answered when Sungai Dua federal village development and security committee (JKKKP) referred their cases to the Tasek Gelugor member of parliament's service centre.

The siblings received a bicycle each, school uniforms and other necessities.

Their father Zulkifli Salleh, 44, said he could not afford to send his children to school as he did not earn a steady income.

Zulkifli owns a lorry. He lost his leg in an accident in 1985 and has been using a prosthetic leg since.

Apart from Saufi and Norshuhadah, Zulkifli has six other children between 2 and 18 years old.

Three of them, aged 12, 14, and 16, are dropouts.

Zulkifli said he was aware that his children should attend school but claimed that they had lost interest in it.

Sungai Dua JKKKP member Ramli Mat Jusoh and Permatang Sungai Dua branch Umno Wanita chief Khatijah Darus visited the children recently.

Ramli said he was happy that the children had started attending school and pledged to find ways to help repair the family's dilapidated house.