Couple Stretches Money Cash Aid Through Marinated Mutton Business

By Erma Idayu Mohd Yusop KEPALA BATAS (Malaysia) May 11 (Bernama) -- Rosnizam Ishak and his wife, Roazian Md Noor, never expect that losing their income following the closure of their food shop business due to the enforcement of the Movement Control Order (MCO) would open a new way for them to earn a living. With no income then, except the cash aid, Geran Khas Prihatin (GKP) and the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) from the goverment, totalling RM4,000 (US$930), they had to figure out how to stretch the money. The couple, both 43 and from Bertam, now sells marinated mutton online. “The MCO really affected our livelihood. During the initial stage of MCO, I made nasi lemak and my husband was the runner who delivered it to customers, but there was so much competition, everybody seems to be selling the same thing. “After we got the GKP and BPN money, my husband sat down to discuss on how to stretch the money. If we don’t do business, soon we are going to run out of money again and decided to make marinated mutton, as the ingredients can easily be obtained,” said Roazian when met by Bernama here. Roazian said they started the marinated mutton business with only five kilogrammes. “Now, we are able to sell up to 50 kilogrammes a day and are also able to employ two workers to help us with marinating the meat and making sales through Facebook, Instagram and the WhatsApp application. “This is the new normal, people want to buy, but they cannot go out, so we provide them the platform to buy online and deliver their orders to them. “We also open sales to agents so that they, too, can get income and now we also have airport limousine drivers who become our agents and runners to send our marinated mutton to customers,” she added. Roazian said only after getting involved in online business herself that she knew that the income from it it almost the same as operating a physical food shop. “In fact, I am more calm and able to look after my children myself. There is no need to send them to the babysitter,” she added. Following the encouraging response, Rosnizam said he planned to continue to sell marinated mutton, making it their special menu at their own food shop. The couple sells the marinated mutton for RM55 per kg and RM33 for 600gm. -- BERNAMA