“I haven’t returned since. I miss my family and they miss me too. But this is for them.
All of this is for their future.
I came to Malaysia because I heard there were plenty of jobs here. Even if it is just doing jobs that no one else wants to do, I’ll do it. I’ve been doing it 7 days a week, 365 days a year for the past 27 years. I haven’t once taken a day of sick leave or even an off day. And I’m still going strong, insha’Allah.
My needs here are simple. I send most of my earnings back to my family. I wake up, I bathe, I have my breakfast, I go to work, I come back, I talk to my family back home over the phone, I rest and it’s the same thing the next day, and the day after that. I have made some good friends here, too.
One of my daughters is now a judge, another is a doctor and my son is an engineer. I’m thankful for what they have achieved.
This December I will be going home for good and finally see my family again. It will be the first time I’ll see my two grandchildren too.
I can hardly wait.”
– Humans of Kuala Lumpur
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Abu Bakar is a 70-year old cleaner who works at Klang Parade. He is the oldest among his crew.
Captured at Klang Parade as the crew celebrates their achievement for winning Klang’s Cleanest Public Toilet (Mall) award by Majlis Perbandaran Klang.
Photostory by Ariel Chew
Edited by Mushamir Mustafa
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(This post was first published on March 29th 2019)
