For Nur Rahimah Alia Salehuddin, delivering food sometimes means carrying her delivery bag and walking from one location to another.
The 44-year-old single mother, who has autism and a physical disability, told Harian Metro that she sometimes walks up to around 20km while working. She had been using a folding bicycle, but it was recently stolen.
“I usually use a bicycle or walk to deliver food, but recently, my folding bicycle was stolen, so I have had to resume making deliveries on foot,” she said.
Bicycle lock was cut
According to Harian Metro, Nur Rahimah said she had locked her bicycle near Surian MRT station. When she returned, the lock had been cut and only the chain was left.
Without the bicycle, she now has to carry both her personal bag and delivery bag on foot.
She first started delivering food in 2020 by walking. Later that year, she received a bicycle through a programme, which made it easier for her to travel between orders.
Nur Rahimah said delivery slots are limited, but she is grateful when she can get two or three hours of work.
Previously worked in IT
Before becoming a food delivery rider, Nur Rahimah worked in information technology and software testing at several companies.
She left her job in 2018 to care for her mother, who was ill. Her mother died in 2020, and Nur Rahimah said she has struggled to find permanent work since then.
She has applied for jobs in other fields, including food and beverage roles, but said some employers did not respond. Some applications were also rejected because she was considered overqualified.
Nur Rahimah, whose marriage ended in 2018, is raising her nine-year-old child. She said her delivery income is modest and that her younger sibling helps considerably with the family’s needs.
She was diagnosed with autism while pursuing her diploma. Nur Rahimah said she sometimes finds it difficult to understand jokes, sarcasm or comments that are not expressed directly, including in the workplace.
It is not that I cannot joke around, but I find it difficult to understand the implied meaning behind what people say,” she said.
Nur Rahimah hopes to find a permanent job that matches her skills. She is interested in becoming an English tutor, having helped friends with the subject while at university.
Until then, she plans to continue delivering food to support her child.
“For now, as long as I have not secured permanent employment, I choose to keep walking, delivering food and earning a living to raise my child,” she said.
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