IN a heartwarming display of community spirit, a video highlighting a father’s ingenuity in Lahad Datu, Sabah has gone viral.
The footage, shared by Hareez Ikmal on Facebook, shows an old man transporting his daughter to school using a modified bicycle outfitted with dustbins as makeshift seats for added comfort.
He wrote: “On our way to Tawau, we hit traffic in Lahad Datu because the kids had just gotten out of school. In the middle of the jam, I saw an old man riding a “unique bicycle” with his young child in the back.
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“It was really touching to see him and his child. The love of a father is truly amazing.”
The touching video caught the eye of Malaysian activist and influencer Adrian Edy, who took it upon himself to assist the family.
Adrian identified the old man and his daughter, Pakcik Basri and Putri Sarah, and through donations collected from the public, he gifted the family a new motorcycle.
Adrian wrote on his Instagram account: “From the people, for the people. A few days ago, I saw a video of Pakcik Basri riding his bicycle with his daughter, Putri Sarah, after school. It deeply touched my heart, and I felt compelled to help Pakcik Basri’s family.”
“Pakcik Basri, who is 69 years old, used to sell ice cream around Lahad Datu for 11 years. He had to stop selling due to health issues, and sometimes he would earn RM30-40 a day if he sold all his ice cream.
“Pakcik Basri has 10 children, and he takes his 7-year-old daughter, Putri Sarah, to school every day by bicycle. He drops her off at 11 AM, then waits at the mosque until 5 PM to pick her up. The ride from their home to the school takes about 20 minutes,” he stated.
“The family doesn’t own a car, so they rely on rides from others to go to the city. I had the chance to see Pakcik Basri’s bicycle, which was both unique and creative. He used small trash bins for storing school bags and as footrests.
“It was the first time I had seen such a creative bicycle. When it rains, he covers Putri Sarah with a cloth to keep her dry, even though he gets wet himself,” he said.
“I’m thankful for the support from the public, which allowed us to gift Pakcik Basri a new motorcycle. This will make it easier for him to take his daughter to school and go to the city for essentials.
“Pakcik Basri was surprised and deeply grateful for the motorcycle. He said it feels like a blessing for his daughter and never expected to receive such a gift. He feels blessed by this generosity and appreciates it very much. Pakcik Basri and his family are good people, and it’s clear that they are cared for by God,” he concluded.
Netizens were deeply moved by his gesture, leaving praise in the comments.
“Watching the video of him with his daughter returning from school was really emotional. Thank God the motorcycle will make things easier for Pakcik Basri from now on,” one user called asma_ajem wrote.
Lutfilmyra commented: “Thank you good man.”
