THERE is no denying that many elderly Malaysians opt to remain active and still work despite having reached retirement age.
Despite the harsh working conditions many delivery riders go through, a 70-year-old man has chosen this line of work.
Zakaria Abdul Wahab took up his current gig as a delivery rider in August 2021 after having worked faithfully for 22 years as a driver.
“After my contract ended, I was wondering what else I could do. I am old, after all. So, I decided to be a Grab rider,” he said, according to an FMT report.
Familiar with the routes around the Hartamas and Bangsar area, Zakaria is not phased by any hidden locations while making deliveries thanks to his previous occupation.
Even when he earns nearly RM100 on a good day, on top of working long shifts — braving the rain and heat with short breaks in between — he remains unflinched, fulfilling his duties and supporting his family when he can.
“I decided to do this because we need money for our daily expenses. Both my sons are staying with me and they are unemployed. So, I have to bear this and work.
“Even if I’m tired, I have to do it. I have to work hard. I don’t care about the hours,” Zakaria added.
On top of that, he pointed out the lack of government aid for the elderly who are financially struggling.
“If the government can give RM2,000 to RM3,000 every month, then I can stop doing this!” he quipped.
Even when facing such hardships at hand, Zakaria finds the simple pleasures of his job through friendships made with fellow riders and sipping his teh tarik in between deliveries.
From securing packages carefully to properly confirming delivery addresses as well as respecting his customers, Zakaria takes pride in his meticulousness during the job.
“We have a responsibility. We need to make sure everything is done properly. So far, I have not received any complaints from customers,” Zakaria explained.
As for actually retiring from work, the concept is at the back of Zakaria’s mind, as he states that he will keep working as long as he is in good health.
“I will continue doing this. And it’s fun. I want to do this every day.”
If anyone wishes to help Zakaria, please contact him at 017-6811312.
