An unsung local hero, Alex Yong – fondly known as Uncle Alex, is a man with a golden heart, working tirelessly without expecting anything in return. For more than ten years, he has been a volunteer at three government hospitals namely Sultanah Aminah (HSA), Hospital Sultan Ismail (HSI) and Hospital Permai, where he helps anyone in need by personally aiding them or directing them to the relevant NGOs.
“I think it’s the right thing to do. No matter the age, when you go to the hospital, sometimes you don’t know how to do things, where to go or what the process is like. I’m here to help anyone with what they need. It also helps to see a regular face at these hospitals because, in turn, the staff will always cooperate with me when I’m helping the patients,” said Uncle Alex who spends his mornings driving children to school in his van.
He added that any patient, especially those without a companion, could need some form of physical or moral support to ease their time at the hospital. Uncle Alex also helps with funeral arrangements for those who pass away at the hospital, especially for lonely souls who died without any next of kin present.
“I will help these people no matter race or religion. It’s sad when it happens; dying alone with no relatives to sort out the funeral arrangements. It takes a lot of time to process if you leave it to the hospital,” added Uncle Alex who explained that hospitals trust him to arrange this due to the familiarity they have with him.
His kind heart goes beyond helping patients and the deceased at hospitals. He provides other forms of help such as food aid to underprivileged and poor families as well as directing the needy to the right NGO for further assistance.
