A Malaysian man made a life-changing decision to leave his high-income career to be more present for his family.
Putting family first
For 56-year-old Moses Abraham, family always came first. That’s why he made the bold move to give up his job as a long-haul trailer driver and take up a less lucrative role in public hygiene.
He explained that his previous job in logistics often kept him away from home for long hours, which took a toll on his personal life.
This made me reconsider my priorities after starting my family more than 20 years ago. I wanted to be present and watch my three children grow up,” he said.
Wanting to be closer to home, he decided to join his wife, S. Tanggam, in the public sanitation sector where she has worked as a street sweeper for over two decades.
A new path in waste management
As reported by The Star, Moses, who had experience in logistics, found new purpose in public cleanliness.
Over the years, he took on various roles at SWM Environment, a waste management company, including operating trash compactor trucks.
He currently drives a 15-tonne roll-on roll-off lorry, focusing on market waste management and assisting in bulk waste collection around the Kota Tinggi area.
Despite the difficulties of the job, Moses shared that he has no regrets about his career switch.
There were times when I felt frustrated by the public’s poor hygiene habits, but I have no regrets because I got to be with my family,” he said.
Supporting each other through work and life
His wife, Tanggam said it wasn’t hard to convince him to switch careers, as he has always been family-oriented.
“I remember feeling relieved as my husband agreed when I advised him to consider joining me so we could work and raise our children together,” the 48-year-old lovely woman said.
She added that two of their children are now working, while the youngest is still in school.
Their daily routine starts at 6.30am, where they take turns preparing their children for school before heading off to work.
While Moses begins his collection route, Tanggam takes on sweeping duties in commercial areas like Taman Kota Jaya and Kota Besar.
However, she noted that public behaviour still leaves much to be desired.
It is common to see people throwing rubbish out of their cars despite having bins nearby,” she remarked.
Honoured for their service
In recognition of their dedication, the couple’s long years of service were recently acknowledged in conjunction with Global Cleaner’s Day on June 17.
SWM Environment’s corporate general manager, Mohd Norlisam Mohd Nordin, said the annual event pays tribute to the invaluable contributions of sanitation workers.
We hold the celebration annually to appreciate the crucial role played by sanitation workers in maintaining a clean environment, promoting sustainability and safeguarding public well-being,” he said.
It’s a simple story of love, sacrifice and choosing what truly matters most.
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