By Andy Davison, CEO and Founder of The Expat Group

If you eat or drink in the Bangsar Baru area, you will often see people either begging or trying to sell you something you don’t want. Sometimes it can be annoying, and, even if you feel sympathy for them, you may worry that they are part of a gang and will not even end up with the money you give them. For this reason, many expats ignore them.

I have been visiting Bangsar Baru for many years and once owned a restaurant there. Over the years, one man has been a regular in this area walking from outlet to outlet looking for people to buy his products, which usually sell for around RM10 each. His name is Bala, and he has cerebral palsy, which makes walking and talking quite challenging for him. However, he carries his disability with a positive outlook and is not looking for hand-outs. He would like you to buy his goods because that’s the only way he can survive, and I think it’s fair to say not many companies would offer him full-time employment, so this is one of his limited options to make a living.

A number of Bangsar regulars know Bala and exchange greetings with him as he makes his rounds and most of them periodically buy something from him – my children have quite a collection. My reason for writing this is because he asked me if I would, and I feel he is genuine and deserves support. If you feel so inclined, please consider buying from him. You will have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping an individual who bravely struggles on, despite his disabilities, with determination and good humour.

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