Here Are 12 Kindest Things Malaysians Did In 2022 To End Your Year With A Smile
As we navigated post-pandemic struggles this year, these Malaysians did not shy away from lending others a helping hand.
By May Vin Ang — 23 Dec 2022, 11:59 AM
As we navigate a 'new normal', here's a throwback to some of the kind, generous, and selfless things Malaysians have done in 2022:
1. On Thaipusam, a group of strangers rushed to help a woman give birth inside a four-wheel drive outside Batu Caves
On instinct, a few temple-goers quickly took off their sarees and veshthis and held them up against the vehicle to give the woman some privacy.
"It happened so fast. The devotees were really fast to respond," said Makkal Osai journalist LK Savantharaja, who was at the scene.
"It was a touching moment that made me so happy and brought tears to my eyes."
2. A group of waste collectors in Perak collected over RM2,500 worth of ang pows during Chinese New Year
In a series of TikTok videos, one of the rubbish collectors, Muhammad Izzat, showed the generosity he and his colleagues had received while serving residents of the neighbourhood.
"Alhamdulillah, rezeki. (We) collected waste and the Chinese gave tangerines, drinks, and ang pows," he wrote, showcasing the gifts and ang pows.
Many netizens were happy for Izzat and his colleagues as they were graced with tokens of gratitude for their hard work and in celebration of the festivities.
3. A team of local council employees in Penang went through tonnes of rubbish to help a woman find a pouch of gold jewellery she accidentally threw away
The 31-year-old, who was prepared to never see her precious jewellery again, called the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) workers her "orange heroes" or "wira oren".
4. A 24-year-old living in Petaling Jaya was reunited with her estranged father of 20 years with the power of Twitter
Armed with only a few photos and the fact that he is a Filipino-Sabahan who may have the nickname Junior, it took less than 24 hours and over 6,000 retweets for Cinta to locate her father.
The daughter said a stranger recognised him and helped to connect her and her paternal grandmother to her father, who was living in Beaufort, Sabah.
5. A customer in Shah Alam kindly invited a GrabFood rider to break fast with him during Ramadan
The rider sent the food as the azan for Maghrib prayers and breaking of fast was heard, so TikTok user Muhd Fareast convinced the rider to eat with him and his friends.
The rider later wells up with emotion when Muhd Fareast hands him some duit Raya and a note as a token of support for his hard work during the fasting month.
6. A photo of a USM graduate went viral after he had to hitchhike to his convocation because of traffic on the Penang bridge
The graduate, 28-year-old Kevin Rayappan, said he was feeling very anxious in his parents' car, even though they left their home in Seberang Jaya three hours earlier.
Getting down from the car with his convocation robes, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) recipient said he was moved that a kind motorcyclist was willing to offer him a ride to campus.
7. A Singaporean senior citizen was moved to tears when a man from Kluang, Johor, returned his wallet that he left on a bus
The old man's niece shared the story of the good deed after her 80-year-old uncle, surnamed Zou, panicked and did not think that the wallet with RM3,800 in cash could be recovered.
However, on the same day, she received a call from a bus operator after a young man found the wallet and spent some time looking for its rightful owner.
8. A delivery rider had a wholesome experience helping a confused old woman in Puchong, Selangor, find her way back home
"Aunty, where is your house?" the delivery rider, Muhammad Khuzaimie Lemat, asked her in fluent Chinese in the TikTok video of the encounter, to which she replied ambiguously in Bahasa Melayu, "Not here."
Eventually, he brought her to a nearby police station, where the police managed to identify her and called her family to pick her up.
"This is the sweetest and funniest memory I've ever had as a delivery rider," Khuzaimie said after sending her off. "Never have I had a partner follow me to work," he laughed.
9. A sweet 12-year-old boy from Shah Alam, Selangor saved up all of his pocket money to pay for his friend's tuition fees
He did so after learning that the friend could no longer afford to come to class.
The father said that although Yusuf had asked for an additional RM20 to complete the RM100 he needed to pay for his friend's classes, he was happy that his son took the initiative to save up for a friend more in need than he was.
10. A Malaysian student was moved to tears when his group of friends pooled a total of RM1,600 to gift him a laptop as a farewell gift for university
After learning that Nazrul also lost his wallet few days ago, the group of friends decided to gift him the laptop to also celebrate his acceptance into Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).
"You're always helping people, and we remember every little thing," said a grateful friend as they pulled out the laptop and handed it to Nazrul, who can be seen wiping away his tears in the viral TikTok.
11. A stranger came up to a woman's elderly mother to ask for a hug and broke down in tears because she reminded her of her ailing mother
"Auntie, I really enjoy seeing you eat. You really enjoy ah," the stranger said to Anis Ramli's mum with a smile when she first approached them in Sri Karak, PJ New Town.
After a brief conversation and the hug, the woman revealed that her elderly 93-year-old mother was not doing too well between sobs.
"She can't eat. Only feeds through tubes. That's why I enjoyed seeing you enjoying your food and eating. I remembered my mum," she said, as she continued to sob.
"Mum hugged her tight. In that moment, Malaysia was alright again," wrote Anis.
12. A eatery owner in Negeri Sembilan was filled with joy when a group of bikers came to eat at her shop after she reached out for help on social media
The business owner asked if someone could help Photoshop customers into her empty store to entice others to visit.
"I've always wanted many customers like those in other stores that have gone viral," she humbly confessed.
In the best response, while a group of Photoshop enthusiasts edited many busy photos and wished her well, a group of motorcyclists actually visited her shop in Jempol to make her dream a reality.
