IPOH, MALAYSIA: The family of former gas salesman Liew Leong Huat is racing against time to save his life.

Having begged, borrowed and even sold their home in Gunung Rapat here, the family is still short of RM100,000 for Liew to undergo liver transplant in China.

"The transplant would cost some RM200,000 but until now, with all the donations we have received and selling our house, we are still short of funds.

"My father has only a few months to live unless he undergoes the operation," Liew's elder daughter Shiau Thin said.

Undergoing the transplant in China was their best option as it costs RM600,000 in Singapore for the same operation, she added.

Liew, 52, has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C and due to the inability of his body to discard toxins, his waistline has expanded from 34cm to 42cm in the past year.

"Once my father's body was so overwhelmed by toxins he became delirious and could not even recognise us.

"He is unable to sleep each night and we take turns to take care of him," added Shiau Thin, 28, a legal clerk.

Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chief Tony Khoo Boon Chuan, who is assisting the family, hoped the public would come forward to donate more.

"His condition is very serious and there is no other way to save him," he said after handing over RM23,531 in donations to Liew.

Khoo later also handed over RM55,071 including RM2,000 from Sports Toto Malaysia Sdn Bhd to tuberculosis patient Chew Chooi Mei and her elderly mother Chong Lean Ngooi.

Chong, 80, had to resort to begging to subsidise her only daughter's medication after Chew, who used to wash dishes for a living, became ill in 2004.

"Thanks to Perak MCA, my mother no longer has to suffer and the Welfare Department is now aware of our plight," said Chew.

"We've been told that we will start receiving monthly aid from the department very soon."

Donations for Liew and Chew can be made out to Perak MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau with their respective names written on the back of the cheques and sent to the Perak MCA headquarters at No. 90-92, Tingkat Satu, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, 30000 Ipoh.

The bureau can be contacted at 05-253 6981.