ANN/THE STAR – Muhammad Afiq Aryan Rosman was busy tending to his kangkung (water spinach) patch at a time when many schoolchildren his age were out of town for the school holidays.
The Malaysian Year One pupil started planting kangkung at the back of his house in Taman Slim Pertama, Slim River in Perak as soon as the holidays started.
“I did not have time to work on my ‘garden’ when school was in session.
“The area was filled with undergrowth and it took some time to clear it,” he said, adding that his younger sister helped him with removing the weeds.
“After removing the weeds, I loosened the soil, put in organic fertiliser and left the ground for a few days before planting kangkung.
“The school holiday is the perfect time for gardening,” said the seven-year-old.
Muhammad Afiq, nicknamed budak kangkung (water spinach boy), gained some amount of hits online after videos of him gardening earned positive reactions from netizens in 2021.
He started planting kangkung during the movement control order and distributed 30 kilogramme of the leafy greens to his relatives and neighbours.
It takes about four weeks to harvest kangkung and he is happy to give it to anyone who asks.
