KUALA LUMPUR: Hairul Nizam Hashim, after being declared bankrupt in 2013, decided to claw back from financial ruin and rebuild his life anew.
For two years, Hairul spent each day visiting one office building after another in Putrajaya and plied around neighbourhood complexes, hoping to sell clothes sewn by his wife.
Now, he has 108 shops under his brand, Kedai RM2 Murah Jimat.
Despite his financial success, he has not managed to get his name removed from the Insolvency Department's bankruptcy list.
Sharing his story with the New Straits Times, Hairul, 44, who initially had an IT company, said he began getting notices and court letters from the Insolvency Department in 2011 and 2012.
"However, I was in denial.
"I thought I would be able to get out of my financial situation until I finally received a letter in 2013 declaring my bankruptcy," he said.
His wife, who was his guarantor, was also declared bankrupt.
Hairul was forced to sell off his assets, including his luxury vehicles, leaving him with just a motorcycle.
Hairul and his wife, however, did not give up and decided to rebuild their lives, this time by selling children's clothing.
"I borrowed a sewing machine from my mother.
"We bought fabric from a hypermarket and my wife sewed all the clothes.
"We used our children to gauge the clothing size.
"My job was to sell the clothes. So everyday, I would go to offices in Putrajaya as early as 8am to rent a spot for RM20.
"On weekends, I would go to the community complex to sell the clothes."
Slowly, Hairul began raising capital for his next business, which led him to open his first Kedai RM2 Murah Jimat outlet in 2018.
However, Hairul said, despite being financially secure now, he was still listed as being bankrupt.
He had no qualms about sharing how he opened his businesses using a proxy, and how he bought a house and car for cash using the names of his family members.
Hairul said the insolvency system was deeply flawed.
He explained that his case frequently changed hands from one officer to another and he had to start the bankruptcy discharge process all over again each time.
He added that there was no much of programmes to help the bankrupts get out of it.
"I have hired a lawyer to have my bankruptcy status removed. And even then, I was told that it might take up to a year before I can get myself off the list."