While we salute doctors and nurses for their untiring service on the frontlines of the war against Covid-19, the state government had decided to also honour the unsung heroes of the pandemic on Sarawak Day today.
These are the people who – in spite of the danger of exposure to the virus – help maintain order and keep life going during a most difficult and challenging time. Without them, life would certainly seem even further from normal.
In this special report, The Borneo Post interviewed several people who fit the bill as unsung heroes.
Morni (left) and Ali in front of a garbage truck at their workplace.
Come rain or shine
By Jane Moh
SIBU: Ali Karikap, 59, has been working as a waste collector in the Sibu Municipal Council’s jurisdiction for more than 20 years and he says will not trade this job for any others.
This father of eight said it is because the job gives him much satisfaction, even when he had to carry 30kg bins on his own.
“I love this job. Yes, this job is quite tough but compared to other jobs, being a waste collector works better on me.
“Other jobs, you have to work eight hours a day; from 8am until 5pm. For me that is even more tiring. As a waste collector, I go to work at night while people are sleeping and I come home in the wee hours in the morning, and I could take a rest after that,” he said.
Ali, who will turn 60 this October, said one of the toughest times to work was when it was raining when it would get really cold.
However, he said all waste collectors are used to it.
“Some people who see us collecting the garbage would ask us why we can’t wait until the rain stops. We cannot wait, this is part of the service, and we need to get the job done,” he said.
He said as a waste collector, he had been chased by dogs and even bitten by one. However, as he is not alone in the job, his co-workers would always back him up.
Ali’s brother-in-law, Morni Abdullah, 53, from Kapit, said he started driving the garbage truck since 1996 after a recommendation from Ali.
“I came to Sibu to find work and of course I found it. There is no rest in this job. We work every night except on Saturday night. We still work during public holidays and even during this pandemic time. It has always been like this, and we are used to it,” he said.
He also said that rain makes their work even more challenging, even for a driver as it would affect their vision.
According to him, on normal days, they usually begin work at around 8pm and finish at around 3am.
After cleaning up the truck, they will reach home at around 4am.
He said usually, he would only be able to have a few hours of sleep.
During the festive season, such as Chinese New Year (CNY), Morni said sometimes he could work for 12 hours.
He said the most unforgettable moment in his career was finding a newborn baby in a bin. He remembered everyone was shocked.
“We were all scared, why is there a baby in the bin? The baby was wrapped nicely using a towel and was put inside a plastic bag. Luckily, we did not pick up the bin and throw everything into the truck,” he said, adding that the baby was handed over to the police.
Asked how the public could help make their job easier, he said they sometimes could not totally empty a bin as some items would jam their lorry’s compactor.
“I just hope that the members of the public would understand this. Not that we do not want to collect, but we cannot throw those things inside the vehicle,” he said.
Ali and Morni do their rounds in Sibu’s Zone 4, which include Jalan Tiong hua, Jalan Tong Sang, Jalan Lanang, Jalan Upper Lanang, Jalan Wong King Huo and Jalan Salim.
Abdul Mosaldi waits outside a mall while a restaurant prepares his customer’s order.
Have wheels will deliver
By Jacqueline David
KUCHING: Abdul Mosaldi Abdul Mulluk, 45, from Jalan Rubber here became a delivery rider after he was forced to close his events management company after failing to secure any projects in almost two years.
“For now, this is the best way for me to generate income. It’s not a luxury, but I believe in making the effort and being willing to work hard. The income is enough to put the food on the table for my family,” the father of two said.
“Another thing is we’re providing a service to people. You need to stay at home and stay safe to help in the fight against Covid-19, and on our part, we deliver food to your doorstep.”
Still, not every day is smooth-sailing for Abdul Mosaldi.
“There were, and would always be, challenges. Sometimes it rains, and sometimes certain areas would be flooded and even then, I must brave the floodwaters to deliver food to the customers. But, good things can come out of even the unlikeliest of situations.”
He recalled a day when it was raining heavily and as he was delivering food to a customer who had ordered via an app, he received an unexpected call.
“As I was about to reach the address, the customer rang me up and simply told me that the food was for me. It was unexpected and indeed, it was a blessing,” he said.
Umi Intan Munirah sees no problem in delivering food or other items using a bicycle.
Delivery girl Umi Intan Munirah Mohd Zamri, 20, said she believed in being patient in facing whatever challenges that might come her way.
This September would mark her first year anniversary working in this sector.
“Times are hard now, and job-hunting is not easy, so I opt for this work. I want to help my parents and my siblings.
“To me, delivering food or other items on bicycle is not much of a burden, as we are allowed to ride across areas within a radius of 3km to 4km.
“I always strive to reach my customers as fast as I could, while looking after my safety,” said the college student from Kampung No 3.
For Ahmad Taufik Yusuf, he signed up to become a delivery rider during the first MCO last year to help his family.
“I also need some money for my studies,” said the 22-year-old student from Kampung Siol Kandis in Petra Jaya here.
He said in terms of generating income, ‘there were good days, and bad days’.
“I actually don’t expect much from my customers. I just want them to be happy because when they’re happy, you could see them beaming as they collect food from you. Smiling is always a good gesture,” he said.
Asked about his bad experiences, Ahmad Taufik said he was involved in a road accident recently.
“A motorist suddenly came out of an intersection without displaying any signal and I was hit. Thank God, it was a minor one, but it was still quite traumatic.”
For Krishnan Balaram, 19, becoming a delivery rider was ‘the best choice’ for him as he gets to enjoy the environment and the scenery.
“My most unforgettable moment as an e-hailing rider was when I helped a man, whose motorcycle was running out of fuel. It’s a good feeling when you can extend assistance to others too,” said the youth from Jalan Foochow.
Latif seen next to his lorry before going on another long haul trip.
No running on empty
By Yunus Yussop
BINTULU: As a lorry driver, one needs to stay focused for an extended period of time, especially when driving such a large vehicle on long journeys.
Even with over 20 years of experience as a lorry driver, Latif Ibrahim never takes road safety lightly.
He said for all lorry drivers who make long journeys, focus is important not only for nighttime driving but during daytime rush hours.
The 43-year-old lorry driver for Syarikat Maju Anas, who is transporting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), said distracted driving is lethal as it not only endangers the drivers but also other road users.
The father of four girls and a boy from Kabong related his experience being a lorry driver as bittersweet.
Latif started out driving a small lorry selling LPG cylinders in Sibu in 1998 when he was 20, and after he took the Goods Driving License and a license to drive bigger lorries, he joined Syarikat Maju Anas the following year.
Asked how and why he got involved in the transportation sector, Latif said driving a large vehicle, especially a lorry, has been his dream.
However, similar to other jobs, there are ups and downs and he said the situation got worse when the state was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said following the movement control order (MCO), all economic sectors were not allowed to operate, even after several relaxations by the government, with the opening of essential services and other sectors, the financial pressure was felt.
“Covid-19 really affected us all, our sales dropped significantly and thus we earned less. Plus we need to do a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test every two weeks, it is painful and I really don’t like it,” he said.
However, he said as a lorry driver, he accepted any decision from the government if it was best for them and others.
He added working during MCO, while others refrained their movement by only staying at home was very challenging.
“Of course I am worried about the safety of my family members when I get back from work. So as for safety measures, I will clean myself first before I be with my family,” he said.
Latif said while working as a lorry driver, he faced many unforgettable incidents.
One of the incidents was when he had an accident with a motorcyclist on his way from Bekenu to Bintulu, fortunately, the motorcyclist survived though seriously injured.
“My fondest experience all these years, however, is I can see the villages along the way to Miri or Sibu, sometimes I stop to buy local fruits. I am happy with my work, although it is not as great as other people’s jobs,” he said.
Maju Gas Supply Sdn Bhd director Ricky Bong Chong Kee said since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, they have absorbed high operational costs.
“Our sales dropped at least 60 per cent, but the company continues paying salaries and the cost of PCR test for drivers and loaders,” he said.
Apart from high maintenance costs due to poor road conditions, the company also needs to make sure their drivers are fit for long journeys to Sibu, Miri and even Kuching.
He said the lorry driver’s basic salary is RM1,200 with add-on commission per trip, thus focus is very important for all lorry drivers.
For each vehicle, there will be a lorry driver and a loader. The loaders will help to guide drivers in case the large vehicles are reversing.
Bong admitted that driving long journeys especially for large vehicles is challenging as their drivers start their journeys as early as 2am just to make sure the LPG supply would not be disconnected or delayed.
Syarikat Maju Anas located at Jalan Taman Sri Pelabuhan Sepait, Bintulu is one of the wholesalers of LPG in Bintulu.
Kapit District Council enforcement officers checking a customer registry for SOP compliance.
Laying down the law
By James Ling
KAPIT: Kapit District Council Chief Enforcement Officer Kayan Nyelang, 57, has served with the local authority for 36 years and he knows he is not always one of the most popular persons in town.
The father of three children has nine officers under him, who are in-charge of enforcing the local government rules and regulations as far as Song and Belaga.
He said Kapit has grown tremendously in recent years and as such, his workload too has increased.
Kayan said enforcing rules and regulations was a heavy responsibility and a great challenge, especially during the pandemic when they have to enforce the government’s orders and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) under the Protection of Public Health Ordinance.
Kayan Nyelang
“It is the most difficult thing to do when we have to issue compound notices to those violating SOP during the MCO (Movement Control Order). Some of them are even our own relatives and friends.
“But the law is the law, we have to face the reality. Can’t be helped. We are just carrying out our duties to ensure that members of the public adhere to SOP and orders issued by Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC),” said Kayan.
He said in the course of carrying out their duties, he and his officers have had unsavoury encounters.
“The public curses us when drastic action is taken against them. There were many times, we have no choice but to issue compound,” he said.
He said at times, they were unpopular because people were angry at their presence but asa civil servant, he and his staff had no choice but to discharge their duties responsibly.
Kayan conceded that the council did not have enough enforcement officers to cover its whole area, pointing out that Song from Kapit was about 47 kilometres and it was over 100 kilometres from here to Belaga.
He advised the public to strictly adhere to the government’s SOP against Covid-19.
Kayan felt that the best part of their work was when people complied with their advice and they did not have to take harsh action against them.
“In the course of our duty, we may be unpopular and at times even accused by people of being too rough and unsympathetic. Fortunately, we have the full support from our superior officers and councilors who understand and appreciate our efforts in maintaining rules and regulations,” said Kayan.
Karambir on duty at the Eastwood Valley vaccination centre.
Offering help from hardship
By Cindy Lai
MIRI: Karambir Singh is, among others, a lecturer, a councillor and an active member of the Miri Red Crescent (MRC) but yet, he still finds time to be a volunteer at a Covid-19 vaccination centre here.
He is at the centre from about 7am to 8pm from Monday to Friday and does whatever is required of him, including helping out at registration or escorting people through the vaccination process.
“MRC was looking for volunteers amongst members, and I saw it as an opportunity to serve the community, so I signed up,” he said when asked why he agreed to be a volunteer at the vaccination centre at East Valley although he had many other responsibilities.
“I saw it as an opportunity to serve the nation to create a safer environment.”
Karambir said that his passion for volunteerism was instilled in him by his father.
“My father held posts with the Miri Indian Association and in the Miri Sikh community as well as other community work. He was always the one who reached out first, whenever anyone needed help. His selflessness and passion for volunteerism had inspired me in a big way,” he said.
Despite him having to spent a lot of hours juggling between his commitments, Karambir thanked his wife, Parveen Kaur, who has been the pillar of support in managing the household and taking care of the family which allowed him to focus on what he was doing.
When the first MCO was imposed in March last year, Karambir said the stay-at-home period unexpectedly became one of the most memorable experiences for both himself and his family.
“Previously, every one of us had our own daily routines to attend to, leaving little time spent with each other. The MCO forced all routines to stop, so we were able to spend time with each other. Perhaps, amid the pandemic, it was the silver lining.”
In his volunteerism journey, Karambir had received and heard many criticisms but chose to ignore it.
During the pandemic when everyone was stressed out and could become easily offended due to tough circumstances they are in, Karambir chose to believe that there’s always a good side in people
“If one chooses to become a volunteer, you must not be easily demoralized by the words of other people, and trust me that it will eventually help you overcome it. Choose to focus on positivity and you will see the good in people,” he said.
from Borneo Post Online https://ift.tt/3hRlRJ7
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment