82-Year-Old Retiree Finds Joy Selling Kuih By The Roadside
The great-grandmother said it has been her daily routine since 2003.
By May Vin Ang — 12 Jun 2024, 03:02 PM
At the age of 82, a senior citizen in Sik, Kedah, is still riding her tricycle to sell kuih every day, just as she has been doing for the past 21 years
According to Berita Harian, Som Jamilah Lateh, fondly known as Kak Milah, sets up shop in front of Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu Lima every day — except Fridays, because Fridays are for worship — to sell her homemade tepung talam and pulut sekaya pandan.
Without fail, she would wait for customers while holding her umbrella by the roadside from 2.30pm until her kuih sells out.
Kak Milah shared that she wakes up as early as 5am to prepare the kuih, and it has been her daily routine since 2003
"After waking up, I prepare the ingredients first, such as straining the coconut milk and cooking the glutinous rice.
"Then, I perform prayers at dawn and read the Quran before returning to work in the kitchen at 7am," she said.
"I've been selling kuih for a very long time, but as I get older, the amount I can make has become less and less. Now, I can only do about 40 pieces for each type of kuih," she confessed.
The independent woman also said she has been working since her husband died over 47 years ago, to raise their seven children on her own
"After the death of my husband, I cycled as early as 5am to work at a rubber factory in Jeniang. I worked there for 15 years before becoming a cook's assistant," said Kak Milah.
Now, blessed with 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, the retiree said she enjoys selling kuih to pass her time.
"My children actually don't encourage me to do business, but I still want to... They live in Sungai Petani, Penang, and Kuala Lumpur," she added.
The great-grandmother also shared that although she doesn't earn much, she enjoys seeing customers buy her kuih
"I sell each piece for only RM1. Alhamdulillah, the kuih usually sells out in less than an hour," she said.
Kak Milah added that although she only makes a profit of about RM10 a day, it is enough for her, as she also receives a monthly pension of RM229 from the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO).
