It has been a busy eight days for Loh, who had to field questions from reporters and generous Malaysians who offered to help her and her three young children.

On Tuesday, she pulled the brakes on a promising career at the hotel, where she had been cooking Chinese and Indian dishes.

She, her twin daughters, 14, and son, 10, were reunited last month after the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted her habeas corpus application to recover the custody of the children.

They had been separated since 2019, when Loh went to live at a government shelter for domestic abuse victims. In their years apart, the children were converted to Islam by their father without Loh’s permission and were looked after by an NGO in Penang.

She told FMT she quit her job because of her concern over the children’s future and safety.

“I will never be able to work in peace, knowing my kids are away from me,” she said.

“I’ll try to open a food stall near where I live or, better yet, start a food truck business. It will be flexible and I can keep a closer watch on my kids.”

She said a political party had offered her the opportunity to open a stall at a college canteen in Hulu Kelang, Selangor, but she has concerns about the viability of setting up shop there.

“I feel that a food truck would be better as I will get to sell meals in different areas,” she said. “Some of the people who offered to help me said they would try to get me a food truck.”

Loh said she was grateful that so many people had offered to help her rebuild her family.

Among those who are helping her is Yayasan Chow Kit founder Hartini Zainuddin, who has started a fundraiser online. Since Sunday, RM15,850 has been raised.

Besides the fundraiser, Hartini has arranged for volunteers to tutor the three children to help them catch up with their studies.

“We are moved by the torture that she had to endure for years and also her journey in reuniting with her children,” Hartini said. “We are doing everything we can to help her and her children start a new life.”