PETALING JAYA, Oct 14 — A young Malaysian has been hailed on social media for making an honest living by selling cut fruit to motorists in rush-hour traffic.

Like most Malaysians stuck in a traffic jam, Facebook user Pnut Syafinaz was open to any form of respite when she spotted a man with a white polystyrene box along Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

The man, who Syafinaz described as being in his early 20s, was walking underneath the flyover selling cups filled with cut fruit for RM3, traveling back and forth for 20 to 30 metres to greet incoming cars and restock his box with more fruit.

“I rolled down my window and asked to buy some papaya.

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“We exchanged money and I told him to keep the change because I appreciated his hard work.

“Honestly, I felt teary seeing his efforts to make an honest living, I was truly impressed,” she wrote on Facebook.

She added that she bought the fruit not so much because she craved it, but more because she wanted to keep the man’s spirits up and motivate him to earn a living the best way he can.

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The fact that the young man was Malaysian further added to Syafinaz’s praise of his character.

“At first I thought it was a foreigner who was selling the fruit because you usually see these kinds of situations in Indonesia.

“But he spoke Malay to me and I was so impressed, it’s not easy for a young person to do this kind of job.”

Comments from Facebook users were full of admiration for the young man and encouraged other Malaysians to lend their support to those who work tirelessly to put food on their tables.