100 up Uncle Naraya still on the go

By Halim Said

halimsaid@nstp.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Most peo­ple, rich or poor, don't get to welcome the New Year like Uncle Naraya.

Uncle Naraya, whose full name is K.S. Naraya Iyer Sub­ramania Vidhyar, has just ushered in the New Year at the grand age of 100.

The centenarian, who still hops on buses in PJ, attributes his longevity to long walks and a strict diet.

Uncle Naraya, who was born on Nov 5, 1908 in Kerala, India, came to Malaya in 1924.

In 1934, he married S. Man­galambal and fathered three boys and three girls. His wife died in 1977.

Vijaya, 64, the youngest of Naraya's children, said his fa­ther led an active life. Naraya stopped driving when he was 70 years old.

"He would have his morning walks near his home and walk as far as 2km before having a breakfast of vege diet. My fa­ther still shaves himself," said Vijaya.

Naraya's daughter-in-law S. Jeya, who looks after him at her home in PetaIing Jaya, said he has no health prob­lem.

"He has been a vegetarian since young. His only problem is his eyesight as he is partially blind. He had to quit his morn­ing walks as age has weak­ened his movements," she said.

"He was also active in the stock market and was once a stock consultant, .. she said.

Naraya retired in 1968 as an assistant engineer in the Se­langor Drainage and irriga­tion Department.

Kampung Tenku assembly­man Lau Weng San visited Narayana recently and regis­tered him under the Selangor state "Mesra Usia Emas" scheme. The scheme offers the registrants' next-of kin RM2,500 for funeral expens­es.

Rodziah Ismail, who is in charge of state welfare, wom­en affairs, science, technology and innovation, said the Mesra Usia Emas scheme started last October and 60,000 old folks have registered.”

"The scheme is designed in such a way to give proper buri­al and respect to the deceased. There are cases when families have to borrow money for the burial costs.

To avoid abuse of the fund, Rodziah said village chiefs or state assemblymen will get de­taiis of the deceased as well as of the beneficiaries.

"Proper documents need to be looked into. As the death certificate will take some time to be issued, documents like police reports and burial certificates will be sufficient," she said.

Rodziah said relatives of registered Selangor residents who die in other states while travelling and are buried outside Selangor, are also eligible for the fund.

The Mesra Usia Emas scheme applies to those aged 60 and above, those born in Selangor or the Federal Territory before Feb 1, 1974 or those who have been residing in Selangor for at least 15 years.

The beneficiaries will have to produce original death certificate of the deceased to collect RM1,000 from the state assemblymen. The assemblymen will then stamp the certificates to prevent people from collecting more than once. The remaining RM1,500 will be issued within 60 days.

To register for the scheme, senior citizens must bring along two photocopies of their IC, two photocopies of the beneficiaries' IC; and two photocopies of their caretakers' IC (if he/she is not the beneficiary).

For details, call 03-5544 5578/ 03-5544 5579.

News Straits Times Isnin 05/Jan/2009