M'sian With 23 Years Of Banking Experience Resorts To Working As A Cleaner In Australia
Despite some criticism, the mother of three said it is honest and halal work to sustain her family.
By May Vin Ang — 31 Oct 2023, 06:01 PM
A Malaysian woman with 23 years of experience in the banking sector has resorted to working as a cleaner in Australia to support her family
Nonetheless, according to Harian Metro, 45-year-old Farasafina Md Daud, who is a mother of three, is proud of the work she has to do to sustain the family.
The former banker told the Malay daily that she and her family decided to move to Perth two years ago when her husband, 48-year-old Ahmad Yassir Hamdan, had the opportunity to pursue his master's degree at the University of Western Australia (UWA).
Farasafina shared that it was difficult to find a job in the banking industry in Australia despite her experience
"The difficulty of getting a job based on my experience and qualifications made me choose to work as a cleaner because [the banks] placed more importance on local experience," she said.
She currently works as a cleaner under an agency at a children's hospital, as well as on her own, providing private cleaning services from house-to-house.
"My job is similar to a domestic helper, except I don't have to cook. I wash and clean kitchens or follow customer requests, with a minimum of two hours, while a thorough cleaning takes up to 10 hours.
"My customers include Arabs, Singaporeans, and locals. Initially, our service rate was AUD25 (RM75) per hour, but now it's AUD30 (RM90), and for longer distances, we charge a bit more. In a week, we usually get three houses," she explained.
She added that her husband has also started taking on some cleaning jobs, as they have to pay their rent of AUD415 (RM1,250) per week.
She added that does not feel awkward about her job, even though she was previously working in a more comfortable environment and earning a more lucrative salary
Farasafina said she shares her experiences working as a cleaner in Australia on TikTok, where she has received mixed reactions from Malaysian netizens, with some criticising her for leaving the country to work a menial job.
However, she remains unperturbed, as it is honest and halal work to maintain her family's life in Australia.
"I'm happy to do this job, even though in the eyes of others I might have downgraded from working in an office to becoming a cleaner. But I don't care, in fact, the locals here have never looked down on me," she said.
She added that she wanted others to see the reality of migrating overseas, where it may be difficult for newcomers to find a job.
The mother said she now hopes to expand her personal cleaning business and employ Malaysian students who may need pocket money while studying in Australia.
