Saturday January 3, 2009
Centenarian gets special visitor
By Star Metro YIP YOKE TENG
CENTENARIAN K.S. Narayana Iyer Subramania Vadhyar is the epitome of patriotism.
Having migrated from South India at the age of 16, he considers Malaysia his home country and is very proud of the fact that he was a government servant.
He studied at a technical college before joining the Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department as an engineer, and held the job until his retirement at 60.
Gesture of respect: Lau (right) explaining to Narayana the benefits of the Mesra Usia Emas scheme. With them are (from left) Vijaya Sundramoorthi Mohan and Jaya.
“He has always been thankful to the government for the pension he receives punctually every month,” said his daughter Vijaya Narayana, 64.
According to his children, he used to read the newspapers almost word by word to keep himself abreast of the goings-on around the world, and he liked to be at the stock market every morning — not to make money but to have a good understanding of the country’s economy.
“He never wants to go to just any clinic or hospital; he always asks us to take him to either the University Malaya Medical Centre or other public hospitals because he only trusts the doctors there,” Vijaya added.
In fact, Narayana hardly needs to visit the hospital as he has been free from health problems, including diabetes and even high blood pressure.
And, the affable man was born on Aug 31, 1908!
These days, he walks with some help. He could still have morning walks and exercises when he was 90, but a few years ago, he had a fall, and his movements have been since then.
“I shave every morning,” he told Kampung Tunku assemblyman Lau Weng San, who paid him a courtesy visit yesterday (Jan 2) at his house in SS3, Petaling Jaya, where he lives with his son Sundramoorthi Mohan and daughter-in-law S. Jaya.
“I’m quite well; I can walk, I’m living my life happily, I don’t need help,” he said when Lau helped him to fill up a form for the Selangor state government’s Mesra Usia Emas scheme.
Narayana appeared slightly nervous when he saw the large group of visitors, comprising Lau’s assistants, pressmen and MBPJ councillor Tiew Way Keng, but soon started to enjoy the company.
“He loves it when his children and grandchildren come to visit him on weekends; all the children are very close to him,” Jaya said.
He has six children (his eldest daughter passed away at the age of 70), 17 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.
His wife passed away in 1977, and he never remarried.
The key to his long life apparently lies in a vegetarian diet and wholesome lifestyle. “The family observes a vegetarian diet for religious reasons, and he never indulges in unhealthy food. Even on his birthday, he takes only a pinch of cake,” Vijaya said, adding that he did not smoke or drink.
Lau said the Mesra Usia Emas scheme would entitle the family to a sum of RM2,500 upon the death of the senior citizen to help out with funeral expenses. Senior citizens aged 60 and above, who were born in Selangor or have lived in the state for more than 15 years, are eligible for the scheme.
“There are plans to increase the sum to RM3,500 while a proposal to give RM1,000 to senior citizens as medical allowance is still under review,” he said.
He said the electoral roll showed that Petaling Jaya had the highest number of senior citizens in Selangor as the city houses many government quarters for pensioners, particularly in Section 1, Section 5 and Kampung Tunku. There are 10,000 senior citizens in Damansara Utama, 9,000 in Bukit Gasing and 8,000 in Kampung Tunku.
“I brought up in the state assembly a proposal that Petaling Jaya should thus have a dedicated government hospital or clinic for senior citizens. The proposal is still being studied,” he said.
He added that the Mesra Usia Emas scheme was on-going and there was an average of 20 applicants every day.
Those who want to apply for the scheme can call 03-7875 4724 for details.
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