A 17-year-old boy who allegedly put his education on hold to care for his cancer-stricken father is now struggling to pay off medical bills and other debts following his father's death. 

In a Facebook post on Sunday (Aug 31), Malaysian social activist Kuan Chee Heng shared the family's plight, saying the boy's 54-year-old father had been battling blood cancer for several months. 

The boy's dad died on Sunday.

Kuan said the family still owes about RM20,000 (S$6,316) in medical bills, while rent has also gone unpaid since the boy's father fell ill.

"He and his mother will be evicted very soon as dad has not been paying rent after he fell sick," said Kuan.

The teenager, who is his parents' only child, had reportedly hoped to continue his studies but left school to help support and care for his parents. 

"He stopped school to work and support his father and mother, he wanted to study. What they have has been drawn out for medical fees (and) they are left penniless," Kuan wrote. 

Kuan also said the teenager had approached a large non-governmental organisation for assistance but was told that the family would have to wait at least three weeks for a decision.

Family struggling with funeral expenses

Adding to their financial difficulties, Kuan said the family was also struggling to cover the cost of the father's funeral. 

He said the teenager had asked for help to purchase a coffin, arrange his father's funeral and secure a niche at a columbarium, with the total cost estimated at RM9,400.

In a subsequent post, Kuan highlighted the extent of the family's financial difficulties, saying the teenager had asked whether he could use the remaining government assistance in his late father's account to buy food. 

There was RM70 left in the account.

"It spells (out) how difficult (their) condition is. Even the RM70 means a lot for him and his mom," Kuan wrote. 

Kuan has since appealed to the public to support the boy and his mother. 

"Life is tough but we can make it better with our kindness," he wrote.

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xingying.koh@asiaone.com