PUTRAJAYA: A single mother, who is also a person with a disability (PwD) refused to let her physical condition control her life or prevent her from making a living.
Zarina Safian, 36, who has no arms and legs, earns her livelihood by peddling kuih tepung pelita in an electric wheelchair around Tasik Sri Rampai in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur to support her family.
The mother of two begins her day as early as 6am, to make the traditional cake using a special machine before going out in her wheelchair to sell the cakes at 8am.
She learned to make the cake from YouTube and started selling it three years ago, Zarina told Bernama when met at the launching ceremony of Prihatin Business Registration Scheme (SPPP), here, recently.
She is among the first recipients under the scheme, an initiative by the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), which allows the target group including the disabled, students, and B40 youths to register their business for free.
Unhindered by her physical disability, Zarina said she refused to wait for help to come her way without doing anything as she wanted to provide a comfortable life for her children.
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Apart from selling kuih tepung pelita, Zarina who lives in Taman Setapak Jaya in Kuala Lumpur, also sells other traditional cakes made by other cake makers such as kuih talam, seri muka and curry puffs.
Zarina said she hoped that the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) could provide a permanent location for her to sell her cakes in Tasik Sri Rampai so she would not have to go around in her wheelchair, which she said could be tiring.
“I hope with the business license registered with SSM, DBKL will approve my application for a permanent location to sell the cakes,” she said.
Zarina called on the disabled to grab the opportunity offered under the SPPP, saying that for help to come, they would have to go out.
“Being disabled is not an excuse. We can also succeed,” she said.
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