Nona makes a stop at the house of a villager in Kampung Sekaan Besar.
MUKAH: A local food trader continues to sell her ‘kuih’ (local cakes), noodles and ‘nasi lemak’ (rice cooked in coconut milk and served with fried sambal) around Kampung Sekaan Besar in Matu, despite the floods.
The only difference for Nona Demit, 55, is that instead of riding her motorcycle, she now moves around using a boat.
“I sell the cakes, noodles and ‘nasi lemak’ in the morning and in the afternoon.
“Despite the floods, I’m very grateful to still have the strength to row my boat around the village and sell my items.
“With floodwater everywhere, everyone could not get out of the house, so at least, I’m helping them,” she told Utusan Borneo here recently.
Nona could roughly earn RM200 daily from her morning and afternoon sales.
However, the trader said it was beyond merely earning income to support her
family.
“I feel happy and fulfilled that in a way, I am providing a service for fellow villagers of Kampung Sekaan Besar.
“At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jemoreng assemblyman Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya for arranging the delivery of food supplies to the people in the flood-hit areas in Matu,” she said.
Some 14,000 residents from 29 villages in Matu District were adversely affected by the recent floods, triggered by continuous heavy rain and the high tide occurring simultaneously.
Of all these villages, Kampung Sekaan Besar was deemed to be the hardest hit.