It was not easy for Agatha, who is now 35, as she underwent much difficulty in the years ahead, coping with her condition while also trying to make a living.
Despite her disability, Agatha lived a strong and independent life, building a career in the events industry. She braved through many difficulties being in a not-so-disabled friendly environment.
Then, she was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy (a condition that results when nerves that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body are damaged) and had to quit her job as an event manager.
But she still had to feed herself and needed funds to pay for her medical bills. Not to forget, to send her mother some money in Penang.
With her talent on the guitar and love for singing, Agatha has chosen to be a busker, performing in front of the Berjaya Times Square in Jalan Imbi.
“I have been singing in the area for quite a long time, but I think it is sad to see some Malaysians who associate buskers with beggars. Unlike beggars, at least buskers are providing a service and entertaining people,” Agatha said.
She then related how she was recently told off by the owner of a food truck near where she does her busking, just because she had asked some beggars to move further away from her.
Agatha said she has been busking at the same location for about two years, and many beggars have been loitering in the same area.
“I have been spat at and punched in the chest by some beggars, and because of that I am afraid if any beggars come near me. That is why, I ask them nicely to move further away from me.
“However, that food truck owner asked me why the beggars could not be here? Because just like me, they also want to ‘cari makan’ (earn a living),” Agatha said.
She lamented the fact that the food truck owner made it sound like ‘begging’ was a profession and that the beggars should be allowed to beg freely wherever they want and that it was totally legal for them to beg.
“He knew that I was traumatised with beggars as I have had a difficult time dealing with them but he accused me of scolding the beggar, which I never did,” she told FMT.
“I felt that a man with dignity will never ever beg for a living. Having said that, I usually just leave them alone and carry on with my busking,” she said, adding that she has seen many beggars near her busking spot, and most are healthy-looking people.