Thanks to his tenacity, he is now a respected mechanic operating his own workshop here.

Azhar, 36, said he honed the skills repairing motorcycles sent by his close friends.

“I have never studied at any vocational institutions. I started by learning how to overhaul the engine of a Honda EX5 motorcycle.

“I would open up the engine and when I wanted to assemble it, I would call my friends to help me. I overhauled two Honda EX5 motorcycle engines and this boosted my confidence.

“More of my friends shared their bikes and tools with me. I couldn’t expect people I didn’t know to allow me to work on their bikes.

“Since I’m blind, it was my friends who ‘sacrificed’ their bikes for me to learn my trade,” he told FMT.

Azhar admitted that his parents became anxious over this sudden interest in repairing motorcycles.

“My mother was worried that motorcycles sent to me would end up worse. I told my mum to have more confidence in me and pray.”

Like other Bumiputera entrepreneurs, Azhar struggled with obtaining funds when he first started his motorcycle workshop in front of his house seven years ago.

He received some help from the Social Welfare Department and several other parties in getting the necessary tools.

“In the beginning, I was only paid to assemble parts. Customers would bring the parts they bought and I would put it together. That was just the start. Now, overhauling engines has become normal for me.

“I know there is still much to learn to excel at servicing motorcycles. It will take forever for me to be ‘smart’ at it.

“I say that because when a new brand or model of motorcycle is released, I need to learn something new again.”

While normal-sighted mechanics will identify a vehicle’s problems or issues by sight, Azhar has to use his hearing and touch to do so.

Azhar is happy that he is not a burden to his parents or family members.

The independent streak in him has always made him keep busy. Before becoming a mechanic, he was a masseur.

“Some customers are big-bodied. Massaging them was not easy and could take one to two hours,” he said with a laugh.

“Some chose to pay, some didn’t. And we earned so little.”

Azhar cannot understand graduates who are choosy about jobs.

He could not attend school when he was younger as the nearest one was far away.

“But I don’t regret it, maybe it’s destiny. Despite not going to school, I am able to sustain myself. I keep working hard.

“Graduates who can’t get the jobs they want should continue working hard.

“Every job has its own challenges and obstacles. Nothing is easy, it’s just whether they want to work or not.

“God didn’t give me eyesight, but I can make use of my hands and feet.

“If we are lazy, who would give money to us or our family?”