Heart of gold: Bohari, who plies his trade at Eastmoore Commercial Centre, is always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
Aw: He didn’t hesitate to help us even though we were strangers
KUCHING: Seven years ago, cobbler Bohari Ariffin lent a helping hand to Aw Joo Lee and her wheelchair-bound mother even though they were strangers to him.
Last month, Bohari and Aw reconnected in a touching encounter that subsequently brought well-deserved attention to the cobbler’s kindness.
That day in 2017, Bohari was mending shoes at his usual spot at the five-foot way of Eastmoore Commercial Centre here when he saw Aw with her mother, who was an amputee.
“They wanted to go up the stairs, but her mother was unable to do so. I felt sorry for them, so I approached them and helped to carry her mother up the stairs.
“I did not think of anything, I just carried her up and then carried her back down again, that was all,” Bohari told The Star when met at Eastmoore.
What motivated Bohari to help Aw and her mother was his spirit of humanity.
“Our humanity causes us to sympathise with others. We are all fellow human beings.
“Whatever religion or race we may be, we can help others because it’s for the good of everyone. I didn’t expect anything in return, I just sincerely wanted to help them,” he said.
For Aw, Bohari’s kindness was particularly meaningful as it came at a difficult time for her family.
“At that time, I was there with my mum and my father, who were both in their 80s. I was the only able-bodied person bringing my parents to meet somebody urgently.
“When we got to the building, I was very frustrated because there was a steep flight of stairs and no lift,” she recalled.
“Suddenly this man came up to me. He didn’t say much, but I understood immediately that he was going to help.
“My mum had only one leg, she wasn’t a small woman and she was quite heavy. But Bohari just lifted her and took her up the stairs while I carried the wheelchair.
“When we came down, I said thank you, but we were all pretty distracted by our family issues and left quickly.”
Aw, who is from Kuching but has been living in Singapore for many years, never forgot Bohari and would think about him every time she came back to visit relatives.
On her last trip here at the end of March, he was still on her mind and a friend encouraged her to try looking for him.
“When someone, especially a stranger, helps you at a difficult time in your life, you can never forget.
“It really leaves an indelible mark in your heart.
“Even though I had said thank you, I wanted to know more about that kind stranger and thank him properly,” Aw said.
So she went to Eastmoore and was very happy to find Bohari still there. And Bohari also remembered helping her mother.
“I was really emotional when I saw him again and tears sprang to my eyes.
“When I asked why he had helped us, he said ‘Kita orang sama manusia’ (We are all fellow humans).
“Bohari is really the hero we all need in our lives,” Aw said.
She subsequently wrote about Bohari’s kindness on the Sarawak Public Feedback Facebook page and encouraged people to seek his services.
“I wanted to help him in his business as well, so that’s why I decided to write a simple post about him.
“Being a cobbler is not an easy job, yet for such a humble profession he has a big heart.
“I hope that after this he will be blessed in many other ways and have more supporters,” she said.
Bohari was also moved by his recent meeting with Aw and the Facebook post she wrote.
“When she came to meet me, I shed a few tears myself. She remembered my small good deed, but I would like to thank her too because she thought about it even though it happened so long ago, and she was willing to look for me,” he said.
With the Facebook post, Bohari hoped that Malaysians would become more aware about helping others.
“I hope everyone will show sympathy to others in need. Don’t think that you are better than other people but help where you can,” he said, adding that he had also helped other people who came his way.
“It doesn’t matter who they are. I may not have much, but I will help anyone in need even if they don’t ask.”
Heartwarming tales such as this are promoted and encouraged by the “Maaf Zahir Batin Hari Hari” campaign (#MZB365), which was launched on April 6. The campaign stands strong with support from major media organisations and civil society organisations (CSOs).
