By IANS,
Seremban (Malaysia) : The Malayasian Indian Congress (MIC) is collecting money to help student Margatha Ambiga, who has to wake up early morning and work on a rubber plantation for three hours before going to school, so she can support her family.
Ambiga has to get up at 3 a.m. and go to a rubber estate about 10km away, and help a neighbour tap rubber for three hours before returning home at 6am, cleaning up and then going to her school.
She gets RM20 ($6 approximately) a day tapping the rubber, with which she supports her father, who suffers from diabetes and blood pressure and asthmatic mother, as well as paying for the education of her younger brother Suriya, 10, who is studying in a Tamil primary school.
However, there is no work on days when it rains and she does not get any money then.
Ambiga’s plight was brought to the attention of Negri Sembilan state’s MIC chairman, T. Rajagopalu who visited the family.
Her mother, Tamil Selvy told him that her family members had refused to help her out and instead, had advised her to get her daughter married off.
“I want my daughter to study hard and be somebody in life. I have confidence in her,” she pleaded.
Ambiga is currently sitting for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations and hopes to become a teacher.
Appealing for charity for Ambiga, Rajagopalu said he would assist the children with their education.
He has also made arrangement for Ambiga’s parents to receive treatment at Seremban Hospital, The Star newspaper said.