On a quiet morning, Muhammad Mirzaman Bustaman is out hunting for a zombie nest in a post apocalyptic world.
He spots one, inches closer and flings a Molotov cocktail – the nest bursts into flames and he braces for a horde of zombies to rush at him.
As he deftly disposes of them with headshots, viewers, who have been watching him through his live stream, chime in.
The 33-year-old, who was born with cerebral palsy, adeptly juggles between taking out zombies in the game Days Gone and talking to his fans.
As he does so, he also encourages them to donate digital gifts, as this is not just a game for him but his new livelihood.
Cerebral palsy has made it difficult to secure a stable job, says Muhammad Mirzaman, who depends on a walking frame to get around and a wheelchair for longer journeys.
“When I was a kid, I could still walk on my own though some places like my school were more challenging due to the many stairs.
“However, as I got older my legs became weaker,” he shares.
Hailing from Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Muhammad Mirzaman first started streaming on YouTube in 2018 out of interest.
“I had a slow start and began with no camera. I set aside whatever little money I had to acquire more tools and upgrade my computer, which I use to record the streams,” he says.
His daily routine begins with breakfast, followed by light stretching and sound testing, as he is always afraid that his audience may not be able to hear him.
Muhammad Mirzaman then kicks off his live stream with a goal of gaming for an hour though on some days he manages to keep it up for five hours.
“I mostly play the story mode now because I find it more relaxing and can take my time,” he says.
He also has this tip for those interested in starting their own channel: Avoid streaming at the same time as top local streamers who typically go live at night.
He now has over 1,200 followers on his Facebook PakMan TV channel and is hoping to keep it growing.
In Kuantan, Pahang, Ahmad Riefqiey Rahman, 27, takes on the persona of a young, wealthy Datuk with a penchant for wheeling and dealing who limelights as a film director in the game Grand Theft Auto V with the RP mod.
The RP mod, which stands for role play, lets gamers connect to a multiplayer server and play as one of the NPCs (non-player characters), allowing them to take on any role, from gangster to chauffeur.
He streams the game for up to 12 hours on some days.
“As a person with different abilities (OKU), you’re expected to put in more effort than an average able-bodied person to achieve success.
“That’s why I named my channel Orang Kuat Usaha so people know that’s what OKU stands for instead of Orang Kurang Upaya,” he quips.
Ahmad Riefqiey has a cleft palate and arthritis of the left hip.
Through streaming on his channel which has 11,000 followers on Facebook, he is able to monetise his content by receiving stars which can be turned into credit, and by including ads.
“After I graduated, I found it difficult to get jobs because of my OKU status.
“I decided to start streaming because I want to be able to earn an income and provide for myself,” he says.
When he started out as a streamer in 2019, Ahmad Riefqiey recalls feeling nervous.
“I was worried that viewers may not understand me because my speech may not be clear.
“I had to push myself in the hope that I could create an impact by doing something that most people would perceive as new,” he said.
Live demo
Foo Chia Keat, a Cheras, Kuala Lumpur resident, is a self-taught online seller who relies on his friends and family for guidance.
“I used to try to sell clothes through social media but wanted to explore more opportunities by live streaming on e-commerce platforms,” says the 31-year-old aspiring entrepreneur who is differently abled.
One day during Ramadan, Foo decided to give it a shot by promoting his home fragrance products.
“I was nervous and I didn’t practise but I wanted to gain experience. I’m hoping to improve myself by doing more live streams,” he says.
Though his first live stream attracted fewer than 10 viewers but as luck would have it, one of the users decided to help promote his live stream on social media.
The user tweeted out saying Foo needed support, urging people to spread the word and buy his products.
The post went viral with over 40,000 retweets in April, which Foo says has changed his life.
“I got a lot of orders thanks to the tweet and most of my items were sold out. I didn’t expect the post to go viral and I’m very grateful to the user for sharing about me,” he says.
Foo, who now streams regularly for 20 minutes at night, says he enjoys interacting and answering viewers’ questions.
“I feel with streaming, viewers have more confidence in the products being offered because they can see a live demonstration.
“I think it’s more effective than just posting a picture with some text,” he says.
Ahmad Riefqiey, on the other hand, feels streaming has bolstered his confidence.
Going online makes him forget about his limitations, he says, describing himself as a more introverted person when offline.
“I can be whoever I want in a game. I also find it easier to interact with more people when I stream online,” he says.
The same goes for Muhammad Mirzaman who finds joy in live streaming as it helps him take his mind off other matters.
He explains that having support from his viewers also helps to keep him going.
“When I’m stuck for content, I’ll ask them for ideas about what games to play and I always get positive feedback.
“When I was playing Days Gone, I asked for tips on where to find zombie nests but I reminded the viewers not to give any spoilers,” Muhammad Mirzaman says.
Caustic comments
However, not everyone is encouraging or helpful in the online world, and the streamers have faced their share of brickbats.
Ahmad Riefqiey says he could never forget the time a viewer questioned his motive for streaming.
“This person said ‘Why are you streaming as an OKU? Do you just want to gain sympathy?’ and the comment left me speechless. I ignored him,” he says.
He advises people with disabilities who want to showcase their talents online to be mentally prepared.
Before going online, Ahmad Riefqiey reminds himself to be positive, as he has to be in a good place mentally to make it exciting for viewers.
“If I’m not in a proper state of mind then I will not be prepared for whatever may happen when I go online.
“I’ve heard all kinds of nasty comments and on some days the remarks really hurt,” he says.
But Ahmad Riefqiey is not disheartened as he wants to concentrate on the big picture – helping other people with disabilities to start streaming.
Recently, he streamed a video together with his close friend Alif Aiman, 20, a youth who has a heart defect.
“He always talked about wanting to be a streamer but he didn’t have the confidence to do it.
“So one day, I asked him to play a game while I recorded his spontaneous reactions and he enjoyed the experience,” Ahmad Riefqiey says, adding that other differently-abled people have also reached out to him via private messages for tips on becoming a streamer.
The ultimate goal for Ahmad Riefqiey now is to create a platform for people with different abilities to compete professionally as eSports players, as it’s one of the most requested things in the OKU community.
Last year, he organised a scrim (friendly match) to train them in playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile.
“Some don’t just want to stream but want to compete as well. I’ve been looking to engage with the right people to make this happen.
“Perhaps we can start with a league just for people with different abilities so they have a place to showcase their talents,” he says.
Pandemic problems
Muhammad Mirzaman also streams to take his mind off pandemic-related matters, as even getting gadgets to improve the quality of live streaming has become challenging since Covid-19. “I do have friends who have offered to help get what I need and I’m thankful for that,” he says.
“Honestly, I try not to feel jaded. I tell myself that I will stream to entertain,” he says, as being confined to home hasn’t been easy on him.
Despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic, Foo is an optimist who believes in taking every opportunity he can get to showcase his skills.
His favourite Malay proverb is “Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih”, which roughly translates to the English saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way”.
“In this digital age, there are plenty of ways to learn how to generate income. I believe the pandemic is not an obstacle for those who are willing to work hard,” Foo says.
Though Ahmad Riefqiey also feels the same, he hopes viewers will be more understanding of the predicaments of people with disabilities.
“It’s simple. Don’t make fun of their condition. Please think of them as people just trying to raise awareness or showcasing the different kinds of individuals we have in our society. They are ‘orang kita’ (our people),” he says.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
