Food delivery riders continue to serve Mirians just like they did during early phases of Covid-19 lockdown
This young man checks his smartphone during his stop at Pelita Tunku.
THEY are swift and they are ready – they are Foodpanda deliverers on two wheels, categorised under p-hailing.
For the majority of Mirians, these cyclists and motorbikers in their signature pink outfits are already a very common sight all over the city.
There were only few of them seen on the streets not long after the enforcement of Movement Control Order (MCO) took effect on March 18, 2020 – when Covid-19 was declared a pandemic.
Today, there are more than 1,000 active Foodpanda deliverers in Miri, the majority of whom are those in their early 20s.
Siew Leng Chau, a resident of Piasau Garden, is among those who continue to order food via this app, even after the restrictions set for dining out have been relaxed.
“We were caught unawares by the enforcement of MCO in 2020.
“The sudden dine-in ban on ‘kopitiams’ (coffeshops), food stalls and restaurants was indeed a shock. It was a depressing time for those who rarely cooked.
“As a single woman living with an elderly mother, I chose to order food via Foodpanda.
“Now after two years, I am so thankful that we have survived, and also thankful that many of our friendly Foodpanda riders are still able to deliver food to us,” she said, adding that she was also very pleased to see many of Miri’s best restaurants being listed on Foodpanda.
For Felicia Khoo, using the food delivery service was not a preference when she just started working and living independently two years ago, at age 19.
“I used Foodpanda because I did not want my mother to go and send me home-cooked meals; I really didn’t want to put her at risk during the height of the Covid-19 situation.
“Even at the office, we’re very cautious – we took turns to be stationed on-site, we sanitised everything all the time, and whenever we made orders via Foodpanda, the delivery guy must wait outside for us to go out and collect the food from him – under no circumstances was he allowed to enter the premises.”
Cycling away
Emily Lu took accounting in a government vocational school in Miri and after that, landed a job as an account clerk at a local company.
Having worked for a few years, she realised that she needed to earn more to support her family.
The young woman then invested in Foodpanda.
“I chose the ‘p-hailing by bicycle’ package, paid less than RM100 for it and invested in a foldable bike that I could conveniently store inside the trunk of my car.
“Then and there, I got my own business!
“It’s been wonderful and luckily, I’m still single.
“After completing my work (from home – Lu lives in Permyjaya, about 20km from the city centre), I would make sure to be near Imperial Mall by 6pm, park my car and then wait for order calls,” she told thesundaypost.
Lu gets her bicycle ready for work.
Lu said as enthusiastic as she was about her part-time job, she did have some reservations in the beginning.
“I had to undergo lots of adjustments, especially during the first (phase of the) MCO.
“Back then, it was really hard because everyone was scared, and many customers were unsure about the reliability of the Foodpanda service.
“Operation-wise, it was quite complicated to cycle while manoeuvring my way using the GPS on my smartphone, which was placed on the handle-bars – a rather awkward position for me when I started back then.”
Lu, now in her 20s, also chose to work in the evening, sending dinners and snacks to the customers, which presented another challenge.
“At first, I had difficulty in finding some of the locations at night.
“Now, I’m proud to say that I know every nook and corner in Miri. Every day, I’m enjoying this city tour and at the same time, I earn extra pocket money.
“It is exciting!”
Nevertheless, Lu and many of her fellow Foodpanda deliverers would still encounter problems now and then.
“We may know most of the locations, but there are still some premises that we are not familiar with, and trying to pinpoint the exact spot can cause delays.
“For example, an order was made by a person working at an office on the seventh floor of a building. We might be able to locate the street or the lane, but because of some complications in identifying the signal from the exact spot where the order was made, the GPS direction might be way off – costing time, causing late delivery and making the customers upset and angry at us.”
As bitter as such a circumstance could be, Lu had learned to become more understanding of the situation after being around with the senior delivery guys, many of whom were working full-time.
“Whatever I have experienced, they have also experienced it.
“I learn a lot from the senior Foodpanda riders in Miri. There are life stories all around us – happy ones, sad ones, inspiring ones. We just have to move on amidst all the struggles.”
Being independent
Aziz strikes a cheerful pose for the camera after picking up the order from a restaurant at Jalan Parry.
Aziz Ahmad, 22, said working as a Foodpanda delivery guy enabled him to earn extra income that he could use to cover the costs of studying in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), apart from contributing to his family coffers.
“My parents are just happy seeing how independent I am now.
“Every month, after the deductions for my bicycle’s hire-purchase payment and other expenses, I’m left with some extra cash, which I save for the future.
“Besides, cycling around the city is good exercise and at times, while waiting for order pick-ups at eateries along Wireless Walk, I get to meet friends and we would hang out for a while to catch up,” said the sprightly young man.
Fellow UiTM mate Amin Basrah appeared to be following the footsteps of his business-minded parents.
“I admit that that my life is quite comfortable as both my parents are business folks, but I do not wish to burden them.
“I am fortunate to have qualified for a scholarship, but I also want to earn my own money.
“Say if I need some upgrades for my laptop, or my smartphone needs some repairs, or I need an extra pair of sports shoes, I can manage all these on my own without burdening my parents,” said the diploma student, who wishes to further his studies in Kuala Lumpur later on.
Amin takes a break at a restaurant in the city centre.
Amin was met at a restaurant near Imperial Mall Miri, where he was taking a break after having cycled around the city centre throughout the hot afternoon.
“Normally, we the food deliverers do not sit at the food outlets – an unspoken rule, if ever there was one.
“However, there are some kind owners who always invite us to rest as we wait for the orders to be ready,” he said.
Azzizul Ali was resting at a bus stop near Miri Civic Centre when the writer stopped by and said hello, to which he reciprocated cheerfully.
“I do want to continue my studies someday,” said the 20-year-old.
“But for now, I like doing Foodpanda. It’s not too difficult – invest a bit, pay for this pink T-shirt and the rider’s pack, and you’re off to running a business of your own.
“I would continue doing this and saving some of my earnings so that I would be able to go study again,” he said, and just seconds after that, his phone pinged.
“I have to go, madam. Just got an order. Thanks – it’s nice chatting with you,” he politely excused himself.
Azzizul takes some rest-time at a bus stop along Jalan Sylvia, near the Miri Civic Centre.
Later in the day, the writer encountered another young man at the Wireless Walk near Kampong Wireless – a place in the city famous for its many halal eateries.
It was the ‘evening rush’, as he described it.
“I’m actually waiting for a satay order here.
“You can find me here in the evening. All my friends here are delivery guys on bicycles.
“I make good money, which I’m saving up for my future too.
“I just had my bicycle upgraded. With more orders, I can earn more. Speaking of which, I have to make a move now, madam. The satays are ready for pick-up,” he smiled.
He was already cycling away when the writer just remembered to ask his name.
“Just call me Zack, madam. And I’m 20 years old,” he said loudly.
This delivery guy, known only as Zack, awaits his satay order from a restaurant at Wireless Walk.
Win-win situation
For busy businessman Bobby Williams, getting food delivered right to the doorstep is not just a treat, but more of a convenience.
“Now, we order food almost every day. We love these delivery guys – we could count on them back during the stay-at-home MCO, and we still count on them nowadays as schools have reopened.
“My son is a special needs child. I send him off to the St Joseph Secondary School in the morning and pick him up at noon every day. My wife is a teacher.
“So, having the food delivery service makes our lives easier and plus, we have lots of choices,” he said.
Bobby also felt reassured seeing every delivery man comply fully with the set standard operating procedures.
“I can also see that this p-hailing operation has helped not only the young people, but also some older folks who want to earn extra income during this critical time.
“I take my hat off to them – they’re survivors, they’re able to do it, against all odds.”
Bobby then recounted his encounter with a 60-year-old food delivery man.
“I believe he’s the oldest delivery guy I have ever met so far. A very friendly chap, with positive outlook.
“He was genuinely happy to have met me and my son. Looking into his eyes, I knew he’s a kind man and that he needed to work. He even gave me a sincere advice: ‘Rajin masa muda, bagus’ (It’s good to work diligently when you’re still young).
“Sometimes, the food delivery comes with ‘golden nuggets of wisdom’.
It is dinner-time for the ‘Foodpanda guys’: (from left) Adib Zakaria, 25, Susyariq Muzakkar, 30, Foelle Farhan, 23, and Noor Sufiyan Noor Ikhsan, 24, at Wireless Walk. Only Susyariq is the part-time delivery man – the other three riders work full-time.
Nonetheless, Bobby also called upon all food delivery folks to always be alert, courteous and abide by the law whenever they were on the road.
“Safety first, that’s the motto. This goes for other road users in Miri too.
“If we want Miri to be an ‘Outstanding Resort City’, all of us must play our roles,” he stressed.