A 70-year-old Chinese man wins praises for helping to paint parking lots at a mosque.

Liu Yao Ming, also known as Ah Meng, was passing by Masjid Al-Jauhar located beside Kuala Krai-Gua Musang road on motorcycle, where he bumped into some Malay friends getting ready to paint the parking lots at the mosque.

He decided to help them.

The photo of Ah Meng painting parking lots at a mosque was posted on the Facebook page of a local group.

Netizens have praised him, including village head Wan Hafiz who was present at the mosque when he painted the parking lots.

Wan Hafiz said he was curious about an old Chinese man helping out at a mosque.

Wan Hafiz said he later found out from Guchil state assemblyman Hilmi Abdullah that Ah Meng had helped people of different races.

Wan Hafiz said Ah Meng is a role model for all, a true reflection of Kelantanese of different ethnic groups living in harmony under the same roof.

Ah Meng, from Kuala Krai, lives in Guchil. He used to work at a sawmill until his retirement and has become a plumber after that.

He is well known among the local Malays.

Che Abdullah, who runs a coffee shop, said the local Malays knew Ah Meng as a friendly and helpful man.

Ah Meng is a regular customer at his coffee shop and they have known each other for many years.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ah Meng said he made many new Malays friends although he also has many Chinese friends.

“I frequent coffee shops run by the Malays now as many Chinese prefer to stay at home.

“About 80% of my friends now are Malays,” he said.

Still single, Ah Meng is helping his deceased friend to look after the two daughters.

Chinese village head Luo Yue Qing said Ah Meng’s friend passed away in 2014 when the children were still in primary school at year three and five respectively.

Ah Meng sent the children to school and assisted their Thai-mother who is a non-citizen, said Luo.

In his capacity as the guardian of the children, Ah Meng applied for welfare fund of RM100 per month for the two children, she said.

Because of that, he was unable to apply cash aid for senior citizens from the welfare department.

Ah Meng needs to wait until his friend’s youngest daughter reaches 18 before he can apply for cash aid from the welfare department. She is now almost 16.