In many instances, most Malaysian drivers have often been told through anecdotal advice that it would often be best to drive away than to stop and offer help to anyone you may stumble upon in the middle of the night on the highway. After all, given the number of untoward incidents to have befallen upon drivers who were kind enough to lend a hand, it is probably best to go about your own way than to risk putting oneself in danger.
M’sian netizen encounters man and his daughter walking alone on KESAS highway
But thankfully in the case of one father and his young daughter who had been left stranded on KESAS highway in the middle of the night, a selfless driver did eventually come to their rescue upon encountering them both along the road shoulder. In a Facebook post that has since gone viral across social media, local netizen Alessandra Ng explained that she had been on her way driving home when she stumbled upon the duo pushing their motorbike down the freeway.
Initially, Ng was unable to stop in time as she happened to be on the fast lane and wound up driving past them, but her concern for their wellbeing led her to make U-turn to reach them again.
“I considered how long this stretch of highway was and thought to myself: how long will they have to walk to reach their destination?” she wrote.
After driving about eight minutes back up along the same stretch of highway, Ng eventually found the man and his daughter again before stopping her car aside to ask if they needed any help. As it turns out, their motorbike had refused to start after running out of motor oil and inevitably left them stranded on KESAS. Despite that fact, the man appeared adamant to walk the length of the highway on his own as he hadn’t any money on his person.
“Me: Oh! Well let me drive you to the nearest gas station to buy a bottle. And then we can come back and refill your motorbike.
Him: Thank you, but there’s no need. I can make the trip myself by foot.
Me: It’s alright! Even if you don’t have the need, I’m sure your daughter does. Jump on board, we’ll drive around and see which petrol stations are still open at this hour.
Him: Thank you, but… I have no money… There’s really no need.
Me: That’s fine! I have money.
Him: No, really thank you. But you go on ahead, I can still manage.”
As it turns out, other drivers had stopped and offered the man help all the same, but he turned them down over the fact that he didn’t have any money to pay them for their assistance. Claiming to be fine on his own, he insisted on walking and said that once his motorbike’s engine got warmer again, he would be able to make the rest of the journey.
The duo was on their way to a funeral in Melaka when their motorbike gave out
In that moment, instead of simply offering to help him for free, Ng asked if he would be alright with the idea of her lending him the money to have his motorbike repaired. Stunned by the offer, the man broke down into tears.
“Like a child, he used his hands to wipe away his tears and thanked me over and over again.”
After climbing aboard into her car, Ng proceeded to ask the man what he was doing traveling out so late at night and was told that he and his daughter had been en-route to Melaka after a family member had passed away. They had intended to make the overnight trip before traveling back again by daybreak.
In that moment, she said she understood to some degree why it was that the man had refused her help initially. Enduring such challenges on his own while shouldering so many responsibilities and pressures on his shoulders, she explains that it is likely that he didn’t want to accept money from others before his own daughter to set an example of staying strong through life’s most difficult moments.
“Maybe someone finally made him feel that we were all capable of respecting each other’s dignities.”
Eventually after some searching, Ng did manage to find a gas station that was open at the late hour and bought him the engine oil he so sorely needed. Returning to his motorbike, the man managed to get it running once more and was then on his way again.
Be the kindness you want to see in the world
In speaking with Wau Post, Ng said that the experience had taught her that there are appropriate ways by which one should use to offer help. But what is most important is one’s willingness to take the first step and offer it to begin with, regardless of how small the gesture may be.
“You must believe that kindness will spread like a ripple. While we can always expect the world to become better and for others to change, we might as well start from ourselves and spread the kindness through to other people and make the world a better place.” she said.
Her post has since racked up over 6,300 shares over Facebook, with netizens commending her for her empathy and kindness.
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