20/02/2026

FRIDAY | FEB 20, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

6

Gearbox repair specialist wonder woman

Allure of books still holding KUANTAN: In her pursuit of books from her favourite genre, Aisyah Mohammad is willing to travel long distances to visit sale events. Recently, she drove nearly 100km to Kerteh in Terengganu to buy books of her choice, although they are readily available in digital form. The 31-year-old private-sector employee told Bernama she is happy to attend book sales anywhere, even in other states, as long as she can acquire the titles she wants to add to her home library. A fan of motivational and self development books, Aisyah finds printed copies far more satisfying, allowing her to focus fully without distractions. She also believes the experience of holding a book and turning its pages has a unique appeal. “Sometimes when you read on a smartphone, notifications interrupt your focus. I prefer holding a book and feeling the paper. Each book carries its own sentimental value,” she said when met at the recent Big Bad Wolf Books sale. She added that the price of books, some of which could cost hundreds of ringgit each, is not a barrier as long as the content is engaging and contributes to her personal growth. Meanwhile, University student Nur Allisya Natalia Norasidi, 22, said despite growing up in the digital era with easy access to online content, her interest in books remains strong, shaped by her upbringing. “I grew up with gadgets and the internet, but I find reading books a more meaningful experience. It also helps me understand the content better. Having my own collection is more enjoyable and inspires me to keep reading,” she added. Sharing a similar view, a 35-year-old mother of two from Japan, who requested to be known only as Reimi, said she prefers books as they are easier to handle when reading with her children. “When using digital material, I have to constantly supervise my children while they read, whereas books allow them to learn more freely and comfortably,” she said. The Reading Profile of Malaysians 2022/2023 study conducted by the National Library recorded a positive shift in reading trends, evident in the average number of books read, which increased to about 24 titles per year, compared with just two books in 2005, reflecting a growing reading culture.

JERTIH: What began with just wanting to help her husband 14 years ago has led a mother of six to become well-known in Besut as a skilled mechanic. Zainab Salim, 45, of Kampung Gerai clearly does not feel awkward in the automotive field, a sector dominated by men. In fact, she has drawn the attention of car users in Terengganu and Kelantan for being highly skilled in repairing car gearboxes. “I had only watched my husband, Zahari Mohd Zin, 59, repair vehicles before I began helping him with the work. “My interest in repairing vehicles grew when I managed to repair a damaged engine component on my own,” she told Bernama at her workshop in Kampung Alor Saji. Zainab said she started by mastering skills in repairing petrol and diesel vehicle engines, before moving on to manual transmission gearboxes, followed by automatic transmissions. She added that her workshop has attracted many customers because she is well-known as the only person skilled in repairing automatic transmission gearbox components around the Besut area. “Previously, car owners with damaged automatic transmission gearboxes would just replace the entire unit with a new or used one. But if they came to my workshop, I would try to repair only the damaged components. So, it saves customers money,” said Zainab, who now only focuses on repairing automatic transmission gearboxes. For the past four years, she has been running the workshop on her own after her husband suffered a stroke and nerve problems that resulted in him losing his vision. However, she is grateful that her second o Self-taught mother of six makes mark as vehicle automatic transmission expert in Terengganu

Her reputation as a competent mechanic led to Zainab being invited to teach students at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training centre in the district. – BERNAMAPIC

times, such as customers not paying for the repair works or trying to avoid settling their debts,” said Zainab, who previously worked as a clerk at a government agency in Besut. Meanwhile, to ensure that she remains fit and healthy to handle the hard work, Zainab goes jogging every morning before opening her workshop. “I need to always be healthy and energetic to earn a living and support my four other children who are still in school,” she said, adding that apart from her second child, her eldest son, 21-year-old Muhammad Hakimie, also has car repair skills, but is currently not working in the automotive field.

child, 19-year-old Muhammad Azani, often helps her instal or remove heavy parts, especially those from four-wheel drive vehicles. She is also happy that many of her customers are aware of her abilities, and some are willing to come from other states to have their car gearboxes repaired. Her expertise even led to her being invited by a Technical and Vocational Education and Training centre in the district to teach the automotive students there. “However, like any other profession, there will definitely be problems or challenges that must be overcome. I also went through tough