Facebook user Rosmalina Roslan posted the boy’s story on social media after he went to her house in Kota Masai, Johor, last Sunday to sell mushrooms.

The insurance agent said she did not want to buy his mushrooms but invited the Year Six boy into her home because she could not bear to see him standing outside in the hot weather.

“He had been sitting in front of my house for a long time, all the while offering ‘salam’,” she told FMT.

Rosmalina said the boy told her he lived in Cahaya Baru, Johor, and that his father worked with Rela, while his mother, who lived in Pahang, returned once a week.

She said the boy explained that he usually sold mushrooms from Wednesday to Saturday, but as they still had supply, his father told him to sell them on Sunday – a school day in Johor – as well.

Rosmalina said her post had received different responses from netizens, including several comments questioning the action of the father, who they said had seemingly prioritised mushroom sales over school attendance.

She said while there were netizens who were in support of the boy, there were also those who were angry with his father.

“We have to first find out what the situation is in the family. If possible, some authority should conduct an investigation and help the family,” she said.