SIK: A senior citizen in Kampung Batu Lima, here, is still actively riding her tricycle to sell traditional kuih, just as she has been doing for the past 21 years.
At the age of 82, Som Jamilah Lateh spends her time holding an umbrella and waiting for customers from 2.30pm in hopes her own homemade "tepung talam" and "pulut sekaya pandan" will sell out.
Som Jamilah, who has been selling kuih since 2003, said it had become her daily routine to wake up as early as 5am to prepare these kuih.
"After waking up, I prepare the ingredients first, like squeezing out coconut milk and cooking glutinous rice.
"Then I perform the dawn prayers and read the Quran before resuming kitchen work at 7am in the morning.
"I've been selling kuih for too long, but as I get older, the amount I make reduces slowly, only 40 pieces for each type of kuih.
"I sell each piece for only RM1, Alhamdulillah, the kuih usually sell out in less than an hour," she said, trading in front of SK Batu Lima.
Som Jamilah, who has been blessed with 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, said she enjoys doing all this work to pass her leisure time, except on Fridays when she wants to focus on prayers.
She said she had been working for 47 years to raise seven children after the death of her husband, Ishak Jaafar.
"After my husband's death, I cycled alone as early as 5am to work at a rubber factory in Jeniang, Kedah.
"I worked in the factory for 15 years before becoming a cook's assistant.
"Now I only make kuih to pass the time, making a profit of about RM10 every day. That profit is enough because I also receive a monthly pension from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) for one of my deceased children, amounting to RM229," she said.
Som Jamilah, better known as Kak Milah among locals, said she considered her daily routine of selling kuih as therapy for herself and to avoid getting sick easily.
She said although the profit is not much, her heart is calm and happy when many customers enjoy eating the kuih she makes.
"My children actually don't encourage me to do business, but I still want to. I have five children now, two boys and three girls.
"Some work in factories and some are housewives, they live in Sungai Petani, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
"When they come back to the village, they give me money for expenses and buy kitchen necessities. The house I live in now is also renovated by my children, and my tricycle used for business was bought by my children as well," she said.
When asked when she intended to retire, she said as long as she was capable, she would continue selling kuih even though her body is now starting to hunch.
"I can still ride the bus to Sik town, even though I have heart problems and need regular treatment at the hospital, but I'm happy to still be able to do business and meet many people.
"Some buy in large quantities and some generously give me extra money. Sometimes I also receive orders from customers and as long as I have the strength, I will continue to do business," she said.