Kuala lumpur: For the past two years, Wan Azli Wan Abdullah has grown accustomed to the pungent, fishy odour of rubbish as he searches for recyclable items to earn extra income to support his family. The 37-year-old security guard at a private company spends his spare time collecting discarded items at a dumpsite near Kampung Kundur here.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Azli, who lives in Kampung Rahmat, earns a monthly salary of RM1,700, which he finds insufficient to cover living expenses amid rising costs. This financial strain has compelled him to take up the additional job of collecting recyclables, despite the stigma attached to it. ‘With a salary of RM1,700 a month, it’s just not enough to cover living expenses, especially with rising costs. That’s why I took this job, even if people look down on me,’ Wan Azli shared, emphasizing his commitment to earning halal money for his wife and children, aged four to 10.

Wan Azli explained that he spends the week collecting items such as plastic bottles and cans before selling them to scrap dealers. The most valuable materials he finds include copper, which he can sell for RM25 per kilogram, while beverage cans fetch RM3 and plastic bottles RM0.40 per kilogram. Through this effort, he can earn up to RM400 a month.

He dedicates four days a week to collecting and separating solid waste, working from 8 am until noon. ‘Sometimes my father-in-law, Hassan Sudin, 58, joins me in collecting these used items. In fact, there are almost 20 others who also make a living at this dumpsite,’ Wan Azli noted, highlighting the community of individuals engaged in similar pursuits to support their families.