PETALING JAYA, Jan 8 — After just being fired from his job, an unfortunate Kuala Lumpur based security guard was forced to push his motorbike for six hours after it ran out of gas.
The anonymous man, reported to be in his early 30s, was found slaving away as he pushed his bike under the hot sun on the side of the highway in Tapah, Perak, as his story was shared in Facebook group Info Berita Semasa.
Facebook user Iwan Putra was on his way to Seberang Perai, Penang from Kuala Lumpur last Sunday when he saw the poor man looking terribly tired as he pushed his bike next to the highway.
Eager to help, Iwan pulled over and asked the man if his bike had broken down or if he needed a lift, but was puzzled when the man repeatedly denied his offer to help him.
Iwan explained that the man was orphaned as a child and was on his way back to his hometown in Nibong Tebal, Penang, after being fired from his job.
While on the way, his bike ran out of petrol near Tanjung Malim, Perak and he had been pushing his bike for the past six hours because he had no money left to refill petrol.
“Apparently he had no money. He was just fired from his job as a security guard and was only given RM5 as compensation, after not being paid for two months,” Iwan told mStar.
“He used the RM5 to fill up his bike at Bukit Jalil in KL and it lasted only until Tanjung Malim, which is where he started to push his bike.”
He added that the former security guard also mentioned that he was let go from his job, as his boss seemed to have conned him into doing the work for the past two months.
Iwan said that the man hadn’t been paid for the past two months, although accommodation, food and beverages were provided.
“When he asked his boss if they could send his salary back home to his village instead of giving it to him, he fired him, gave him RM5 and said that he never wanted to see his face again,” wrote Iwan.
“When I found him on the road he was sweating and tired, like he was half dead. He told me he was pushing his bike for the past six hours.”
Iwan offered the man a ride to Penang because he knew exactly what it is like to be stranded and have to push your motorbike back home.
“Last time I had to push my own bike back from Sungai Buloh to Setapak in KL at 3 am, nobody stopped or tried to help me, maybe because they were scared and I was ashamed to ask for help,” said Iwan.
“He kept saying he didn’t want my help either, but I was left quiet after hearing what he went through, my eyes started to tear up.
“When we reached Penang I dropped him off at a petrol station and gave him RM10 so he could fill up his tank. I wanted to give him more, but I don’t have much, so I gave him what I could sincerely.”
Having heard about the struggle the anonymous man went through and the kindness Iwan shared with him, social media users were full of praise for Iwan, and called for the man’s boss to be reprimanded for his ill-mannered actions.
“I wonder who the employer is, to all authorities responsible for dealing with this, don’t ignore it, I’ve heard too many cases of security guards not getting paid,” wrote a user.
“They should have taken down the bosses information and made a report to the Labour Office,” wrote another.
