TAWAU: Sincere and commendable efforts by 12 Malaysian second-hand clothes or bundle traders in Gwangju, South Korea, to organise a charity sale to raise funds to bring home the body of a friend to Tawau, Sabah, has managed to collect RM50,000.
The funds raised are for the process of bringing home the body of Muhammad Khairul Anas Abdu Gapal, 31, from Kampung Titingan here, who died due to an illness in Gwangju on Feb 26.
The charity sale was conducted through Facebook Live ‘Saudagar jpkr’ from Gwangju at midnight on March 1 which lasted for one hour and 40 minutes and viewed by more than 8,000 Facebook users.
Sadness could be clearly seen on these traders’ faces for losing their friend who was in South Korea for the past two years as a contract worker.
One of the buyers of the charity sale who is also a popular bundle trader in Tawau, Andika Nazri, 27, when contacted by Bernama said he also spent RM3,000 to buy several shirts as a sign of support for the charity activity.
“I also feel sad, I also have experience in bundle trading in South Korea and know that the cost to bring the body home from there to Tawau is very high,” said Andika who operates Pali Pali Bundle.
Among traders involved in the charity sale include Acai Bundle - Korea, Nuahh bundle, Bundle bundle Safril Kuns, Slippers ManonAjushi, Gwangju Bundle, GTO Bundle, Borneo 21 Bundle and Gwangju Family R’B Store.
These traders also collected personal collections for sale to the public and the most expensive item sold was a red MCM backpack worth RM5,000.
Meanwhile, the victim’s brother, Hazlan, 35, expressed his deepest gratitude with the help of everyone including sellers and buyers to facilitate the process to bring his brother’s body home.
“One of the bundle traders contacted me to ask for permission to organise a charity sale to raise funds targeted at RM40,000, and I immediately agreed with their sincere intentions because the cost of bringing my brother’s body home to Tawau can reach up to RM70,000.
“I am very touched and moved by their efforts as we only know each other on Facebook. There is no direct family ties. Only Allah can reward their good deeds. I really hope their efforts will inspire others to do good,” he added.
Hazlan said his brother was the fifth child of nine siblings and a quiet person, live independently and does not like to bother the family.
“My family and I did not know anything about his illness, only three weeks ago he told me that he was vomiting,” he said.
He also said that his brother decided to work in South Korea because he wanted to raise capital to open a car workshop in Tawau for the family. — Bernama
