Compiled by ASHLEY TANG, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN

       THE Covid-19 pandemic has changed the attitude of a group of mat rempit who have stepped up to help society by becoming grave diggers, Kosmo! reported.

       The group joined the Unit Angkasawan Sertik that actively arranges the burial of the remains of Covid-19 victims in Felda Sertik, Pahang.

       A member of the group, Mohamad Zainon, said the riders who were mostly in their 20s made the decision to become grave diggers due to the lack of manpower in handling those who died from Covid-19.

       “If there is a death from Covid-19, there are not many who are brave enough to handle their bodies. So I asked the boys and invited them to join this unit. They immediately agreed.

       “Last time we would be on the highways but now we have become grave diggers,” he said.

       Mohamad said they were now able to carry out the task well through the guidance of the Health Department and the Unit Angkasawan Sertik president Amel Saad, 60, who is experienced in managing death cases.

       Amel, who is also the Khairat Kematian Felda Sertik treasurer, said the unit had so far handled seven Covid-19 bodies.

       He said the burial site at the Felda Sertik Islam cemetery could not use an excavator as it was too wide to pass through the narrow area of the cemetery.

       “It is tiring as we have to hoe the area while wearing personal protective equipment. I’ll stop clearing after just five minutes but these young people are able to do it for 10 minutes without stopping,” he said.

       > A housewife started selling local desserts to help her husband whose income was affected after the tourism sector could not operate due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sinar Harian reported.

       Rosnani Deraman, 46, said she started making traditional Terengganu desserts two months ago to help her husband Mad Nawi Muda, 56.

       Rosnani, from Kampung Baru Pulau Redang in Kuala Nerus, said the local desserts she made were lompat tikam and putu mayam that were delivered to two food stalls to help cover the family’s expenses.

       “Thankfully, we are able to make about RM60 to RM80 per day from the sales of the desserts.

       “Before this, my husband’s salary working in a resort was about RM2,000 a month, but now it has been cut to only about RM800,” she said.

       Rosnani added that the resort management cut the workers’ salary based on a rotation system as there were no tourists.

       The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.