Food delivery riders risk themselves for customers' gut

Apart from traders, food delivery service is certainly the first choice for people to satisfy their hunger without having to leave home.

But whether you realise it or not, food deliverymen are actually facing the same situation as being at risk of being infected with COVID-19.

For Muhammad Sofi Zaidi, 26, apart from making a living, his role is one that offers service to the people in times of crises.

"As a GrabFood rider, this is our service to the community. People cannot come out, so they can use this service and can contribute to our income," he said.

The same was shared by Abdul Razak Jalal, 43, who was proud to be one of those in the frontline when the Movement Control Order came into force on Wednesday.

On the second day the order came into force Thursday, Abdul Razak acknowledged the number of orders he received has increased.

"Many restaurants are closed, (so) we have to rush (to deliver orders). I am proud to serve our community as a frontliner for the people," he said.

In their rush to deliver orders, food delivery providers too were not spared from challenges in fulfilling their responsibilities.

According to Wan Mohd Azahir, 29, fear and anxiety were among the major challenges in his job but the feeling was overcome by his quest to make a living.

To counter his concerns of the risk of being infected by COVID-19, Wan Mohd Azhar did not ignore the authorities' recommendation to comply with preventive measures.

"This is my livelihood. There is a sense of fear but I follow the government's advice to always be careful, to keep hands clean with sanitizers, wear a mask and keep a distance. These fears are lost when looking for a source of income," he added.

These are some of the heroic stories that are sometimes ignored by the public, but they are among the frontliners that help rid the people of discomfort and lead a normal life.