Anak ‘pak cik air balang’ teruskan legasi ayah

Siti Nur Aliah, a 22-year-old, continues her late father's legacy as 'pak cik air balang' after losing both of her parents, Ah Yauddin Ahmad and Roslina Yusuf, within a span of a year. Despite the immense loss, Nur Aliah is determined to keep the family business alive, inspired by her father Ah Yauddin, who was renowned for his air balang (water dispenser) business.

Born on 18th July 1957 and passing away at the age of 64 due to a lung infection, Ah Yauddin is best remembered for his perseverance in running the business while caring for his ailing wife, Roslina. Roslina, too, succumbed to health complications in October of the same year.

Nur Aliah, who now resides in Meru Ehsan Apartment, is driven by her passion to honor her father's legacy and maintain his way of doing business since childhood. In an interview with FMT, Nur Aliah shared, "I still want to carry on because of my interest. I want to keep my father's recipe and the way he taught me." She emphasizes that her motivation stems from her love for the business, despite the challenges she faces in managing the daily operations, such as transporting goods and managing the van.

Ah Yauddin's name gained widespread recognition after a video went viral, showcasing him running his air balang business while looking after his wife, Roslina, at a night market. The couple's touching story resonated with many Malaysians, especially as Ah Yauddin continued to care for Roslina even after she developed complications like diabetes and a partially amputated left foot.

Nur Aliah, alongside her father and mother, has been involved in the family business for nearly 40 years. Post her parents' demise, Nur Aliah plans to reopen her father's air balang stall at Meru Besar Night Market in October. The stall's location will remain unchanged, with ongoing payments made to the local authorities to ensure the business license is not revoked.

However, Nur Aliah acknowledges that the journey will not be easy, as her father had previously managed many aspects of the business, including driving the van and purchasing supplies. To cope, Nur Aliah is currently learning to manage these tasks herself, including obtaining her driving license to operate the van. In the meantime, she relies on part-time earnings from selling food at nearby night markets, earning about RM250 per day depending on sales.