MP Buys Deliveryman A Motorcycle After Seeing Him Cycling Under The Hot Sun During Ramadan
Bukit Mertajam lawmaker Steven Sim Chee Keong said he bought the motorcycle using his salary, not the money allocated for his constituency.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 15 Apr 2021, 03:03 PM
After providing a homeless family and a man with places to stay earlier this month, Bukit Mertajam member of Parliament (MP) Steven Sim Chee Keong has gained public attention for his act of charity again
This time, when Sim was notified that someone in his constituency in Penang suffered from a sunburn while working as a foodpanda deliveryman, he decided to pay the young man a visit
In a Facebook post published on the first day of Ramadan, 13 April, Sim said the young man — known only as Mohamad — rode a bicycle under the heat and rain just to make ends meet as a foodpanda deliveryman.
According to him, Mohamad makes only RM500 a month from his day job and he works part-time as a deliveryman at night. The bicycle he used for delivery was borrowed from a friend.
"When I asked him why does he cycle and doesn't ride a motorcycle like everyone else, he replied he doesn't have a motorcycle," Sim related.
"Mohamad is 22 years old, travelled from Kelantan to Penang to work. His family is not rich but cares about (their children's) education. He has 10 siblings. His father is a religious teacher. He is a polytechnic diploma graduate with outstanding results."
Photo showing Mohamad suffering from sunburn on his hands.
Image via Steven Sim Chee Keong 沈志强 (Facebook)Sim said Mohamad's RM500 salary cannot even sustain his expenses on food, but he does not complain about his day job because he is grateful for the opportunity
Mohamad does not have to pay rent thanks to the generosity of his friend, and every day after work, he would borrow his friend's bicycle to work as a foodpanda deliveryman until 11pm.
Sim said the extra RM20 to RM30 income Mohamad made daily as a foodpanda deliveryman allowed him to afford food.
"Sometimes, (Mohamad) only ate nasi lemak every day because he wanted to save money," said the Bukit Mertajam MP.
In a photo where Mohamad can be seen standing beside the bicycle he used for deliveries, the bicycle seems to be too small for a grown adult to ride over a long period.
Sim added that the seat of the bicycle was badly worn out too.
After learning about Mohamad's background and challenges, Sim decided to buy him a motorcycle
"When I asked Mohamad what help does he need, he was embarrassed to answer," he said.
The MP said Mohamad did not seem to believe that he would be getting a new motorcycle.
"But when I took him to the motorcycle shop in Bukit Mertajam, he was touched," Sim wrote.
"We bought a Honda. I paid cash. If people criticise me for using the government's allocation to buy the motorbike, I want to say that I don't have the allocation to use. I am now an opposition MP."
"This was bought using my own salary. RM4,500 including road tax, insurance, and a full tank of fuel. Fully settled. Mohamad can ride this motorbike without having to worry."
Following that, Sim also brought Mohamad to a pharmacy to buy aloe vera and sunblock cream. The duo later broke fast together at a pizza restaurant too.
At the time of writing, Sim's post has gone viral with over 27,00 shares and 141,000 likes
In an update yesterday, 14 April, Sim posted a photo of Mohamad cheering as he uses his new motorcycle while out on the job.
Thousands of netizens can be seen thanking the MP for helping out the young man on the first day of Ramadan.
"Thank you for setting a good example," lauded a Facebook user, while another added, "You got my salute YB Steven Sim Chee Keong. Always vote for you."
One netizen wrote, "I don't know who Steven Sim is, but this is an example of a real man. A real man is compassionate and feels for others, regardless of colour or creed. A real man is strong and empowers others. A real man deserves to be in power. A round of applause to Steven. We don't know him, but we know his heart."
