Student works four part-time jobs to support self and family
Ong Ke Shing remembers when she used to build castles out of the cigarette boxes which her parents sold at their shop when she was a small child.
But the shop was making a loss and she also remembers her parents arguing about finances a lot when she was younger.
Now 22 years old, Ong (above) said she has to work four part-time jobs to support herself and her family, on top of being a full-time student in sports science at Universiti Malaya (UM).
She works about 60 hours a week in total, as a survey conductor, a sports masseuse, a bar waitress and a fitness instructor.
Ong said she has been working since Form 5, and explained that she knew she had to save up enough money for her tertiary education.
"(Now) working has become my habit. I have to work.
"If I take a break for one day... I will feel guilty the next day because I did not earn any money that day," said Ong, who also gets most of her clothes from recycling centres or hand-me-downs from relatives.
She was the subject of a short 9-minute film called "Clocked Out" made by fellow UM student Walli Khalik, who intended to put a focus on the financial struggles students face to make ends meet.
"I wanted to highlight from this documentary because as a student myself, I also have to take a part-time job to make ends meet.
"In one day, (Ong) can work up to 15 hours and that doesn't include the time she needs to attend classes.
"What type of condition or situation are we at right now?" Walli (photo, 2nd from left), 27, questioned.
His film was shown as part of a Freedom Film Festival 2019 programme in Petaling Jaya today called "Students Pun Mau Makan (Students also want to eat)", where four students, including Walli, were invited to speak on their experiences in dealing with financial struggles.
is tis news? there r many msian that work like shit to support themselves, regardless of race.
ReplyDeleteYet there is still an animal farm!
DeleteThat's the news that mfer likes u DON'T want to know.