Saparisah delivers gas cylinders on her motorcycle. — Bernama photo
IPOH (March 9): At 57 years old, Saparisah Abdul Rahman, who has 16 grandchildren, can still lift, carry and deliver a 12kg or 14kg liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-filled cylinder from house to house, a job normally taken up by the young and mostly by men.
She has no hesitation in lifting the cylinders on her motorcycle, even carrying three on her motorcylce at one time, to get them delivered to her customers.
The job has been her livelihood for the past 15 years, said the woman, who continued to do the job to prove that women are also capable of doing a job that is synonymous with men.
“I have a younger brother who runs the business and in 2004, I decided to do the same.
“Initially, it was hard, back-breaking, because I was not strong enough to even lift a gas cylinder, what more to carry it to my customer’s doorsteps. The gas cylinder either weighs 12 kg or 14 kg. I had back pain initially, but I’ve gotten used to it over time,” said the woman when met by Bernama at her house in Kampung Datuk Ahmad Said Tambahan II, here.
Saparisah, fondly known as Kak Zah, said she can carry three gas cylinders at a time on her motorcycle, when making the delivery to her customers, mostly in Taman Meru and Silibin.
The mother of six said that although it is a man’s job, she kept doing it to help her family and would turn a deaf ear to negative remarks made at her.
“There are some people who cannot believe that I can personally deliver their orders to their homes, and they were surprised indeed that I am able to make the delivery to their doorsteps myself.
Saparisah lifts an empty gas cylinder on her shoulder. — Bernama photo
“When I get nasty remarks, I just give them a smile and continue with my work. Nowadays we cannot be selective to earn a living. As long as the job provides me with a halal earning, I’ll do it,” said Saparisah.
She said she was a pottery maker at a factory in Jalan Kuala Kangsar until the factory closed.
“With nothing to do, I felt bored and wanted to do something to earn a living to help my husband. So, I decided to sell cooking gas by providing a home delivery service. Also, I want a business that pays daily, not on monthly basis, like working in a factory” she said, adding that she gets orders for up to 40 LPG gas cylinders from her customers in one day.
“With nothing to do, I felt bored and wanted to do something to earn a living to help my husband. So, I decided to sell LPG gas by providing a home delivery service. Also, I want a business that pays daily, not on monthly basis, like working in a factory,” she said, adding that she gets orders for up to 40 LPG gas cylinders from her customers in one day.
On the challenges, Saparisah said her store was broken into once.
“Each cylinder costs RM128, it is expensive. Imagine the losses I suffered, when they were stolen,“ said Saparisa, who started her business with assistance from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM). — Bernama