At 56, Moses Abraham made a choice many wouldn’t dare to: he walked away from a high-paying job to spend more time with his family.
For many years, Moses worked as a long-haul trailer driver, earning a solid income but spending countless hours away from home. It wasn’t easy missing out on family moments and milestone while constantly being on the road. Over time, watching his three children grow up from a distance made him realise he didn’t want to just send money home, he wanted to be there in person.
Image credits: The Star
“I started to rethink what really mattered after having my family. I didn’t just want to be the provider; I wanted to watch my kids grow up,” he shared.
Forego high paying job for his kids
With that, Moses made the bold decision to leave his job and join his wife, S. Tanggam, in the public sanitation sector. Tanggam, who has worked as a street sweeper for over 20 years, was nothing but supportive when he agreed to take a less lucrative but more family-friendly job so they could be together and raise their children side by side.
Using his background in logistics, Moses found new purpose in waste management with SWM Environment, taking on various roles, including operating trash compactor trucks. These days, he drives a 15-tonne roll-on roll-off lorry, collecting market and bulk waste around Kota Tinggi. It’s a physically demanding job, and it can be disheartening to see people litter despite having bins nearby, but Moses has no regrets about his choice.
Image credits: SWM Environment (Facebook)
“There were times I felt frustrated seeing people throw rubbish everywhere, but at the end of the day, I got to go home to my family, and that’s what matters most,” he said.
A day in his life now
Describing a day in their life, Moses and his wife wakes up around 6:30 am, taking turns preparing their youngest child for school before heading off to work. While Moses starts his collection routes, Tanggam sweeps the streets in commercial areas like Taman Kota Jaya and Kota Besar. She admits that while she enjoys her work, seeing people continue to litter can be discouraging, especially when rubbish is thrown out of car windows with bins just steps away.
Despite the challenges, both Moses and Tanggam find meaning in their work. Their efforts were recently recognised during Global Cleaner’s Day on June 17, a moment that highlighted the important role sanitation workers play in keeping the environment clean and safe for everyone.
For Moses and Tanggam, it’s never been about prestige or high paying jobs. It’s about love, commitment, and choosing a life where they can come home to each other every day. In a world where many are chasing after more, they’ve found happiness in having enough, and in being there for the people who matter most.
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