PERAK, MALAYSIA— A 27-year-old Malaysian man has garnered praise from netizens for his unwavering commitment to providing motorcycle repair services despite being a disabled person (OKU) confined to a bed.
According to a report by Malaysian media outlet Harian Metro, Mohamad Zulkarnain, who resides with his family in Parit 2/6R Labu Kubung, Chenderong Bala, became partially paralyzed after an accident while working as an assistant at a night market stall in 2015.
At the young age of 19, Mr Zulkarnain was already working at a fried chicken stall in the night market, aiming to alleviate his family’s financial burden.
In addition, he took up motorcycle repair as a part-time endeavour to earn extra income. However, the accident completely changed his life, rendering him unable to walk.
“After a year of rest to recover fully, I pursued my passion for repairing motorcycles, even though my mobility was not as agile as before,” shared the eldest son among five siblings.
Mr Zulkarnain explained that his current physical condition imposes limitations on his movement, and sitting in a wheelchair for more than two hours causes discomfort and pain in his stomach.
To facilitate his work, his family moves his bed to the front of the house, where he repairs customers’ motorcycles.
His younger brother assists him by opening motorcycle parts for repairs, reinstalling them, and handling tasks such as changing tires, chains, and engine oil.
“I make slight adjustments to my body for parts that are difficult to access, but my mobility is indeed limited, and there are areas I cannot reach with my hands,” he explained.
As a disabled individual, Mr Zulkarnain receives assistance from the Department of Social Welfare (JKM), amounting to RM300 (approximately 65.88 USD) per month.
“I don’t want my skills to go waste”
As a matter of fact, that bed is the only place where he has a place to sleep.
“I find it more comfortable to work while lying down. Sitting in a wheelchair can be a bit challenging. I still want to pursue my passion as a mechanic because I don’t want my skills to go to waste.”
“Besides, I want to be independent and not just sit around because it gets boring, and this helps my emotions because I’m doing work I enjoy. In fact, I feel healthier than just lying down,” he said.
Mr Zulkarnain also nurtures a dream of establishing a more comprehensive workshop adjacent to his home, with the unwavering support of his parents, Mustafa Hamid, 53, and Zarina Ahmad, 47.
“Not many motorcycles are repaired. It’s only one or two per month because we live in a village, and there are other workshops here as well.
“But I am grateful that friends and villagers are willing to send their motorcycles to us, and I am still happy with this blessing, even though the income is not much,” he said.
Netizens applauded Mr Zulkarnian’s resilience and dedication
In a Facebook post by Harian Metro, Malaysian netizens applauded Mr Zulkarnain for his resilience despite his disability.
“May Allah bless this young man with abundant sustenance. Imperfect, yet still able to seek a livelihood. May he continue to strive for halal sustenance.”
Some netizens praised him, saying, “He is amazing, with no obstacles to moving forward.”
“What a strong spirit! May you be blessed with good health. May your children have sustenance and may your sustenance be abundant.”
“This is what we call having the willpower to overcome obstacles without making excuses. May all your affairs be made easy and may your sustenance always be plentiful.”
One netizen pointed out a stark comparison, stating that while a partially paralyzed person works hard to earn a living, some individuals with good health choose to snatch others’ property.
“Allah! Even someone who is partially paralyzed is determined to seek halal sustenance. Yet, those with perfect health choose to rob others. May Allah increase your sustenance.”
