When strangers come and ask us for money, we become wary of them and more often than not, we will move away as we’re afraid of being scammed.
Albert Ling, a Malaysian, tells his story of how he was approached by a foreign worker asking for money. Albert’s story has since been shared more than 4,000 times on Facebook.
The Facebook post dating back to July 17 talks about how a foreign worker approached Albert when he was in his car.
It was nighttime, and Albert was in his parked car for a while, scrolling through his phone, when suddenly a foreign worker came and knocked on his window.
The Malaysian was wary at first, but he saw the man sweating profusely, so he wound down his window. In very limited Malay, the man asked Albert for RM10 so that he could buy the item that he was holding in his hands.
“It was something I was very familiar with, an asthma spray. I had asthma ever since I was a child, and looking at the man, I can see what happened to him.”
At that time, Albert thought about many things. On the one hand, he felt that it was a fraud, but on the other hand, the man could be suffering as he needed the spray. The Malaysian thought more about the consequences: if it were a fraud, then he would only lose RM10, but if it’s real, then it could save someone’s life. Hence, he gave him a RM10 note.
After taking the bill, the foreign worker went off, and Albert continued scrolling on his phone. A while later, the foreign worker knocked on his window again, showed him that he had purchased the asthma spray, and thanked him profusely before walking away.
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Albert was shocked, and without thinking, he went out of the car and talked to the man to ask him why he did not have money.
The man told him that he had been in Malaysia for 6 months and worked as a security guard in the Tropicana area, getting RM1,600 per month. His employer did not pay him for 2 months and told him he would have another job, so he needed to wait in the dormitory.
After 2 weeks of waiting, there was still no new job, and his asthma spray ran out, so he walked more than 3 kilometres from Pelangi Damansara to Kota Damansara. When he found out he did not have enough money for the spray, he asked people if they could spare him some money.
For illustration purposes only.
Most avoided him, while some scolded him for not working and only asking for money. Albert asked him if he had eaten, and he said it had been a few days since he had a meal. Hearing this, the kind man then brought him along for dinner.
During the meal, the man in need asked Albert if there were any jobs that he could give him. However, Albert said that the rules on foreign workers are very tricky, so he did not know how to help him. But, Albert gave him his number so he could call him whenever he needed help.
Before leaving, he also gave the man some more money.
“He looked at me, the sky and then at me again. When he walked away, he kept looking at the sky, and I think he thanked God at that time. I, too, hope he can get through his tough times and will never reencounter any of these difficulties.”
Albert is very thankful that the foreign worker returned and thanked him after buying the spray. He said:
“Thank you for letting me buy the spray for you. I feel like I was the one who is blessed.”
In an update, Albert says that he managed to find a new job for the foreign worker.
We’re very thankful to Albert for helping a person in need. This little act of kindness has definitely changed a person’s life. Hence, it might be good for us to help others when we are capable to do so.
Also read: Local NGO Is Offering RM5 Therapy Sessions For The B40 Community!
