KUANTAN: The kindness of generous Malaysians has put a smile on the face of Hello Kitty costume entertainer Siti Endon Ismail.
The 57-year-old, previously a regular feature of the Teluk Cempedak beach here with her Hello Kitty and Doraemon costumes to entertain children, suffered a sudden loss of income due to the Covid-19 outbreak and the Movement Control Order (MCO).
When informed that the public has rallied to assist her by donating to her bank account, Siti Endon's immediate response was that the cats she has at home will now have enough to eat.
"Since I have no income, I was worried... I need to feed the cats and pay the house rent. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), people have started to help. Some have even contacted me. Only God can repay their kindness. May God bless all the kind people out there.
"I have a soft spot for cats and become emotional when people neglect them without giving food. I might not be able to provide them with the best, but I try ensure they do not go hungry... at least my cats are now assured of food until I get back to work," she said when contacted.
Siti Endon, who is a single mother, said she has not gone to the bank yet due to the absence of public transport, coupled with rainy weather, but said she will use the cash to buy grocery items and dry cat food.
Siti Endon, who houses more than 50 cats at home including strays, is a fixture at Teluk Cempedak, where she has also dressed up as Snow White to the delight of child visitors.
When the New Straits Times contacted her last week, a heartbroken Siti Endon said she was facing tough times due to zero income and was worried about the cats which she shelters.
Her plight caught the attention of many and some even shared her bank account details to allow the public to contribute.
One of them, Sarah Yusoff, wrote on Twitter "This is a more important Doraemon story, if you have extra (cash) please help this makcik (aunty). She is 57 and wears the Hello Kitty/Doraemon costume to entertain children for money. Due to Covid-19 she has no income... she is alone & lives with cats. RT pls!".
Since Friday, Sarah's posting on her Twitter handle @Nikkasara has garnered 7,965 retweets and 4,250 likes.
When contacted, Sarah, who shared Siti Endon's bank account details, said she was always concerned about the "unseen victims" due to the MCO.
"I have come across a lot of people like her (Siti Endon)... even my own mother was struggling as a single parent to work day and night when my siblings and I were in school. I cannot imagine how she (Siti Endon) can survive in these difficult times if there is no help.
"My Twitter posting received a lot of attention from kind Malaysians who are still contacting me for details to contribute. My brother contacted Siti Endon and was informed that her costumes are old, and some are torn... (but) the makcik is friendly," she said.
Malaysians, regardless of race, took to Twitter to share their experience crossing paths with Siti Endon at Teluk Cempedak beach and many acknowledged that she is a familiar mascot at the beach.