PETALING JAYA, April 28 — After images of him selling headscarves at a petrol station to buy milk and diapers for his kids made the rounds on social media, ‘Abang Tudung’ has come forward to share his story.
According to the man who only wanted to be known as his online moniker, he and his family have been stranded in his hometown at Sungai Dua in Penang since the beginning of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
They had returned to his hometown from Kuala Lumpur in early March to visit his disabled father, right before the MCO was announced on 18 March.
“At first I was planning to send my wife and my two kids back to Kuala Lumpur but we didn’t expect the MCO prohibiting interstate travel.”
“After spending too much time in my hometown since the MCO, I needed to think of ways to earn some money because our savings were depleting and I didn’t want to burden the rest of my family,” he told mStar.
‘Abang Tudung’ also said that apart from buying milk and diapers for his two children, he also needed money to buy essentials such as groceries.
‘Abang Tudung’ who has been selling headscarves at Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman since last year said he had ready stock in his car for ‘emergency purposes’, which he attempted to sell at the petrol station.
The 29-year-old said that he had been attempting to sell the headscarves for just about an hour, before he began feeling embarrassed.
“Nobody was buying my headscarves. All of them thought I was a beggar. There was one person who came to me not to buy but to hand me donations.
He however said he was “so touched” because he did not expect his story to become viral and “I’m touched by the support and concerns from other people as well.”
The virality of his story however also scared him, he said, adding that “I was scared to the point I didn’t go out of the house for two days.”
Due to the current situation, plans for him to join a friend to sell ‘kuih raya’ at a Ramadhan Bazaar, he said his plan now was to sell ‘kuih raya’ and headscarves online and via delivery.
“As long as I have the strength in me, I will try my best to find income by myself. It’s not that I don’t want to accept donations but there are far many people who are in a more serious situation than I am.
“I am not asking for charity and please help those who are really in need, but I do want to extend my gratitude to all Malaysians who are generous enough in helping and concerned about my well-being.”
