Trishaw peddlers in Penang appeal to state for more aid

GEORGE TOWN, March 16 — Trishaw peddlers in Penang are appealing to the state government for more aid as they struggle to survive with little to no income. 

Many trishaw peddlers are barely making enough to pay for their rent and some have been made homeless due to the pandemic, non-governmental organisation (NGO) Urban Life Volunteers (ULV) said.

ULV founder and secretary Sarah Abdullah submitted a memorandum to Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow today asking for more aid to be channelled to the trishaw peddlers in Penang. 

She said that many of the peddlers are unable to settle their trishaw rental and some are facing eviction from their rented rooms. 

“They are depending on kind handouts from the public for food and money,” she claimed at a press conference at Komtar. 

In the memorandum, the group asked that the state government register and contribute to the social security organisation (Socso) on behalf of the trishaw peddlers in Penang. 

They pointed out that the Melaka state government has been contributing Socso for their trishaw peddlers since 2018, so the Penang state government should do the same. 

“According to Penang Socso, there is a special scheme for trishaw riders and taxi drivers who are registered with the tourism sector,” the group claimed in the memorandum. 

The memorandum also asked the state to help trishaw peddlers who are senior citizens to apply for the senior citizen welfare aid and to set up a rest house for trishaw peddlers in George Town. 

Noordin Lazim is pictured with his trishaw at Komtar, George Town March 16, 2022. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

One of the trishaw peddlers Noordin Lazim, 57, said they really need the monthly aid from the state government to make ends meet. 

The Penang state government provides a monthly aid of RM100 to trishaw peddlers but from June 2021 to December 2021, the state government increased it to RM200 each month. 

However, Noordin said they had not received the monthly aid for this year until yesterday. 

“We didn’t get the aid till yesterday, they banked in RM300, just before we came here to hold a peaceful protest and hand over the memorandum today,” he said. 

He said the state government should maintain the monthly aid at RM200 instead of RM100 as RM100 is insufficient especially when they are still making very little income. 

Another trishaw peddler, Tan Hee Peng, 74, said he barely had any income since the pandemic and had relied fully on the state government aid and handouts. 

“I am glad that they have finally banked in the aid yesterday, it will help in paying my room rent,” he said. 

When contacted, the tourism and creative economy state exco’s office said they helped the trishaw peddlers set up their own bank accounts to receive the monthly aid. 

They said the January and February aid for this year was deposited into their respective accounts.