Hot wings, warm heart: Stall owner's kindness in hiring special-needs worker draws praise

Pic from Facebook

KOTA KINABALU: A Ranau businessman's kind gesture of hiring a person with disabilities has warmed the hearts of social media users and earned him praise.

Ricksteiner Robert, 31, who is known as Yuyu the barbequed chicken wing seller locally, recently shared a story of his "special" helper, 23-year-old Asry, whom he hired over a month ago.

Asry’s family had brought him to the chicken wing stall in the hope of getting him a job, and Yuyu hired him.

“He is slightly disabled. At first, I let him try packing chilli into packets," he posted on Facebook under the name "Ranau Sayap".

According to Yuyu, Asry needed more time to complete basic jobs than an able-bodied worker.

“Many asked me why I hired him (and said) it’s a waste of time and money. Even people from his own village say the same thing and they even call him (unkind words)," said the father of two.

For Yuyu, hearing someone being called names makes him uncomfortable as his principle is to try his best to teach, support and motivate his workers.

“So I taught him what he needed to know on the job, step by step. If he is not at the chicken wing stall with me, I will ask him to go to my house to do some simple chores such as tidying up the place and watering my plants.

"He is capable of that and at least he can take some of the load off my wife’s shoulders at home,” he said.

Yuyu said as time went by, he saw that Asry gradually improved and was able to complete tasks more efficiently than when he started working.

He said this proved that anyone can change and become a better version of themselves regardless of their mental or physical state, as long as they are given a chance and their environment is right.

Besides, he said, Asry was hardworking, willing to learn at his own pace, and honest.

“I left money around before leaving for work, just to test his integrity and he never took a single sen,” Yuyu said.

Yuyu said he valued the honesty Asry showed more than anything, adding: "That itself is his gift."

Asry receives a RM1,000 monthly starting salary with meals and is provided accommodation so that his family can visit anytime.

Yuyu's post has been shared over 1,500 times and has garnered almost 6,000 likes as of Thursday (Aug 25) afternoon.

Many commenters praised his kind gesture and said it would be a wonderful world if more people were like him.