GEORGE TOWN: With the return of local tourists to heritage sites here, trishawmen who had left for other gigs are gradually returning to pedal once again.

       Take the case of Abd Hamid Din, who had earlier stored away his vehicle and got a job as a security guard.

       Having been a trishawman for two decades, he is now back to pedalling on the street full time.

       “Times were difficult for all of us for almost a year. We went looking for other jobs,” said Abd Hamid, 65.

       “But now, as visitors return and there are more tourists, we can earn a living as trishaw riders once more,” he said when met along Lebuh Farquhar here on Sunday.

       Asked about his stint as a security guard, he said he got the job so that he could pay his rent and buy food.

       “I found a job as a security guard at a leisure park in April and worked there for six months.”

       Last month, he was back on his trishaw after gauging the situation with the other pedallers in Armenian Street.

       “When I was a security guard, I missed riding my trishaw, having pedalled for over 20 years,” said Abd Hamid.

       Another pedaller, who wanted to be known as Khana, said he too jumped at the opportunity to return to his old job after trying out different gigs.

       “I got a contract job for over a year cutting grass and cleaning out rubbish dumps at residential areas,” he said, adding that it felt good to be back as a trishawman.

       “We are happy. These days, all of us at Armenian Street usually manage to get at least two trips each week.

       “On weekends, we get more visitors,” said Khana, 69.

       On Sunday, over 10 trishaw pedallers brought a tour group of some 20 people on a ride around George Town.

       During the trip, they accompanied the visitors along popular routes like Lebuh King, Gat Lebuh China and Lebuh Farquhar.

       Trishaw pedaller Lee Chiew Peng, 55, said he was happy to receive the group along with his colleagues as it had been some time since a tour group booked their services.

       “It gets better and better these days. On weekends, everyone is guaranteed to make a trip, especially since we have many visitors from Kedah and Selangor.

       “I hope it will be like this every day,” he added.