Population dwindling in tandem with the catch

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MALUDAM, BETONG: Fishing is fast diminishing as the main source of income for the people here, so the government is urged to act fast to address the situation.

AT A CROSSROADS: Jambu pouring the petrol into a container.

Community leader of Kampung Hilir Maludam Jambu Joll said among the economic activities which could be developed on a big scale is fruit cultivation like pineapples.

“At the moment, we are at the crossroads of changing from a fishing community to a more agro-based community,” Jambu said this at his house here yesterday.

He revealed that in the 70s and 80s, when he was still a fisherman, the place was thriving from the abundant supply of fish and prawns.

“In those days when we went to the sea, we would come back with a big catch which can literally fill our boat to the brim.

“But now, not many people are involved in fishing as prawns and fish are fast depleting sued to overfishing,” he said, attributing this to the use of fishing trawlers near coastal areas.

Jambu who runs a small petrol station said as a result of dwindling catch, many youngsters, including the Chinese from the nearby bazaar, have moved away in search of greener pastures.

“Many of our youngsters are now working abroad in Singapore, Johor and Kuala Lumpur. Some of the uneducated ones went to major towns in the state in search of odd jobs as labourers.

“And many of the Chinese shopkeepers have moved to Kuching,” he said.

However, there are many lucky ones who managed to get jobs as civil servants.

“I have two children who have graduated and become teachers while two are pursuing education in a college and university. My three other children are still in secondary school,” he said.

He said most of the 7, 000 people in Maludam are Malays with some Chinese and Ibans.

Most of the people here are either fishermen or odd-job labourers.

On another issue, Jambu said a strange peculiarity here was that administratively they are under Betong division but politically under Lingga constituency.

“Security-wise, we are under the police contingent of Sri Aman,” he said, adding that sometimes it was difficult for the people to deal with the various government agencies from three different areas.

On the political front, Jambu revealed that the people were ready to support a BN candidate in the coming state election.

“For us we will support whoever the BN leadership picks to represent us,” he said.

The present assemblywoman of Lingga is Simoi Peri and the MP of the area is Datuk Rohani Karim, who is the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry