By ALIA SITI KHADIJAH AZHAR
ALMOST every afternoon, an elderly woman can be seen trudging behind a young man pushing a cart towards the traffic lights at a road junction in front of Universiti Teknoloji Mara in Permatang Pauh, here.
When the traffic light turns red, the two take several packets of Malay ‘kuih’, fried noodles and fried rice from the cart and rush to the cars that have stopped on the road to hawk their foodstuff.
This has been the daily routine for Mariam Ayub, 62, ever since her husband, who was the sole breadwinner of the family, passed away of diabetes in 2013.
Helped by her 34-year-old son Mohd Sahir Rozalee, who has a learning disability, they walk about eight kilometres from their house at Kampung Permatang Janggus in Permatang Pauh to sell ‘kuih’ and other foodstuffs to motorists who stop at the traffic light junction.
Of course, the mother-and-son attract the attention of passers-by who feel sorry for the duo and worry about their safety as they rush from one car to another in the middle of the road to sell their foodstuff – all for the sake of earning a living.
Met at her run-down house, Mariam said the house was the only property her late husband, who used to work in a factory, had left her with.
“The house is old and the roof is leaking,” she said, adding that after her husband passed away, she had to resort to making and selling ‘kuih’ and other foodstuffs to generate an income as her son was not able to be independent due to his learning disability.
B40 group
“My son is not capable of working (independently), so he helps me with my business. He is the one who always pushes the food cart while we walk because I find it too tiring,” said Mariam.
As Mariam and Mohd Sahir are in the B40 group (bottom 40 percent of households earning an average monthly income of less than RM3,860, including those whose incomes are below the national poverty line average of RM950), they receive zakat aid and a cost of living allowance from the Social Welfare Department.
Mariam said although the financial aid has helped to relieve their hardship, it was not enough to meet their monthly expenses and that was why she decided to start a small food business to supplement their income.
She said when she started her business; she received cash donations and also a refrigerator, pushcart, groceries and other items from well-wishers, some of whom she did not even know.
“I hope my story can inspire other single mothers and those who have special children to stand on their own feet and not to resort to begging,” said the plucky woman.
Rain or shine
Mariam said she would start preparing various types of ‘kuih’, fried noodles and fried rice as early as 6 am every day. Come rain or shine, she and her son would push their cart by the roadside to sell their foodstuffs.
“I don’t mind walking under the hot sun or getting wet in the rain. It’s my livelihood… at least, I’m not begging for alms. As long as I’m capable and I can walk, I will continue working.
“I always tell others who are facing difficulties to go out and do some work. As long as they are physically capable, they should work and not depend on others,” she said.
Mariam and her son usually leave their house at about 2 p.m. and return home at about 8 pm after they have sold all their ‘kuih’ and other foodstuffs.
Asked if she felt weary from all that walking she has to do every day, she replied: “I’m used to walking. Like my late husband, I’ve diabetes too and I think all that walking I do has helped to keep the disease under control. For me and my son, walking is our daily exercise,” she added, smiling. – Bernama
