Fewer orders dampen Raya spirit for some delivery riders

 

A delivery rider who spoke to FMT said his income dropped by 50% during Ramadan.

PETALING JAYA: Ramadan has been particularly tough on some food-delivery riders operating in the Klang Valley, who have seen their income decline throughout the fasting month.

A former technician, who only wanted to be known as Irwan, saw his income drop by 50% to RM300 since the beginning of Ramadan because of the limited number of orders during the day around the Muslim-populated area in Bandar Baru Bangi.

Riders earn their income from the number of deliveries made.

Irwan, now a full-time food delivery rider, said that during the first two weeks of Ramadan, he had to work during the day and there was a time he came home empty-handed because he did not receive any orders after three hours.

“Just imagine, around Bangi, there are more than 200 riders, but the number of orders during the day on average was around 50,” he told FMT.

Another rider, who only wanted to be known as Syahmi, said he had to work throughout the fasting month in previous years to earn enough to prepare for Aidilfitri.

“Normally, we can get an average of 30 orders a day.

“We can earn a similar amount during Ramadan, but we have to work like crazy throughout the whole day,” Syahmi, who has been a delivery rider for two years, said.

This year, Syahmi, the eldest among three siblings, decided to spend more time with his family and dipped into his savings for expenses for the festivities.

He said he wanted to use the extra time he had to help his parents prepare for Hari Raya.

For many food delivery riders who are breadwinners for their families, the drop in orders piled a lot more pressure on them.

Azhari (not his real name), said he has not been back to his hometown in Chuping, Perlis, for Aidilfitri since 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak and the fact that he earned less during Ramadan.

Azhari, the eldest of five children, said he had to choose to celebrate Hari Raya with his own family in Cheras because of financial constraints.

The father of three said all his earnings during this month will be spent on new clothes for his children as their happiness was his top priority.

“I haven’t bought a new pair of baju Melayu for Aidilfitri and it doesn’t bother me. What matters most is that my children can wear a new pair of baju Melayu or baju kurung for Aidilfitri,” he said. - FMT