I am from Semenanjung Malaysia, I am Malay, my husband is orang Iban and my child is Muslim. I am only the one from Semenanjung Malaysia here.
How did you come here?
On the 30th of May 2016 we arrived in Labuan. After that, we came here. My husband is from here. He is Ibanese but a Mualaf (a Muslim convert).
He has been there in Semenanjung for 15 years. He worked everywhere; in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and even in Kajang. For myself, I was born in Kampung Sungai Serdang, nearby Kampar.
I got married in 2010. I’m back here because my husband’s parents wished to see him. It’s been a while since he came back. His parents once made a police report because he did not come back. They thought he was missing when in actual fact, he was working in a faraway place and he did not tell his parents. He worked multiple jobs over the years from being a security officer to working in a clothes store in KL.
I used to work in security as well in Kuala Lumpur. We would travel just to find a job. I only managed to finish Primary School. I stopped in my first year of high school – in Form 1 – to sell kuih. Then I worked in a flower shop. All this was in Kampar.
Working here in Sarawak is difficult because the salary is little – only Rm 800 or Rm 900. Goods and foodstuffs are increasing in price year after year and there’s also GST now.
How can you manage with just RM800?
You have to learn to save.
I’ve been here for a year. Hoping to get other jobs to gather some money and go back home for a while.
I hope my kids will work hard in school and hopefully become a doctor or a policeman or even serve the army. It doesn’t matter whether they do it here in Sarawak or Semenanjung Malaysia but there will definitely be more opportunities in Semenanjung Malaysia.
When they are much older and have jobs, I would like them to come and visit us – their parents. To always remind them that they have come a long way to live a comfortable life thus they should be grateful for what they have now and to always visit their parents wherever they may be.
My children go to school by car. Some kids go to the schools nearby, some attend boarding schools. Those in boarding schools would come back home by Friday and they are off again to boarding school on Monday.
Most of the people here would say that working in Semenanjung Malaysia is better because the pay is better. More opportunities there.
For how long more will you stay here?
I’m not sure. Probably two to three more years before I go back to Semenanjung Malaysia.
Did any of your family members say anything?
They call every now and then to ask how I am, to tell me to take care of my health and their grandchildren’s well being.
