Thriving micro-entrepreneurship in Batu Satu

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Small-scale women traders fully capitalise on facilities provided by government in this quaint community in Kuala Baram

Apart from potted plants, this stall also offers freshly-plucked coconuts, local winter melons, pumpkins and ‘terung asam’ (sour brinjals).

THE address ‘Batu Satu’ is indeed a popular one that the majority of Mirians are familiar with.

It is the place where they can grab basketfuls of ‘bubuk’ (krill shrimp, of the scientific genus Acetes) fresh off the boat, literally, during its season.

Every year – except during the Covid-19 pandemic period of 2020 and 2021 – this fishermen community in Kuala Baram would welcome throngs of people, including the Bruneians, who come down to grab their shares of marine catch, which would come in abundance during the months leading to and after the Chinese New Year (namely January until early April), in June and the period just before the ‘landas’ (year-end monsoon season) strikes, usually in October.

The ‘bubuk’ galore in Batu Satu not only draws household consumers, but the ‘belacan’ (shrimp paste) makers and manufacturers of other seafood-based products – some from as far down as Tatau and Dalat – would also come in droves to procure this commodity in bulk.

Encouraging micro-entrepreneurs

This stall looks like a mini nursery.

However, over the past one and half years, the area has been accommodating small-scale women traders, the majority of whom are the wives of fishermen.

These micro-entrepreneurs are selling potted plants and a variety of items related to farming and gardening.

The stalls that they are renting now, which were constructed by the government, are neat and well-managed units, unlike the other individually-built wooden shacks along the road.

“I am paying rent of only RM1 a day for this stall, and RM5 per month for water supply and the toilet nearby, which is really convenient.

“I have a little stove at the back to cook lunch, or to warm up food.

“I am grateful to the Miri City Council (MCC) for the water supply and the public toilet provided here,” Laura Mesak, 36, told thesundaypost in Miri.

This Iban woman regarded her stall, measuring 100 square feet (around nine square metres), as ‘big enough’ for her to sell potted plants, ‘sepok’ (medium comprising wood dust and debris) and the typical bagged top-soil.

“I used to work in office but the pay was too little, and then with the MCO (Movement Control Order), it got even more difficult because I could not juggle office work and looking after my children who could not go to school.
“It was a daily struggle having to drive to school, meet with teachers, collect from and send to them my children’s homework – not including having to do the housework.

“It was overwhelming!” said this mother of two primary school-aged children, who quit her previous job about a year ago.

Now, she enjoys the freedom that comes along with her current enterprise.

“As the situation now is more under-control than previously, I bring my children here and I teach them to man the stall too. It is spacious enough and we comply strictly with the SOPs (standard operating procedures) here.

“My children are so happy.”

Laura says many a time, some expatriates would drop by at her stall and admire her potted plants.

A customer, who was looking at plants at the stall when this interview was in session, joined in the conversation: “I was advised against coming down to the office during the MCO. I had to stay at home to look after my children and my ageing mother.

“If only there’s this kind of small business in other parts of Miri complete with toilet facilities, it would be so good! And I really would like to be able to teach my children in between attending to customers, just like what Laura does here.

“Nonetheless, not everyone can operate a flower stall like she can. Whenever I come here, it feels like I am visiting a nice flower garden.”

The toilet built by the MCC, for the convenience of the traders.

Laura tends her potted plants religiously. Her best-selling ginger plants are growing very well, and so are her Japanese flowers, which are sold at reasonably low prices.

“I highly recommend ‘sepok’ for planting ginger, as this organic matter’s texture is very airy – suitable for ginger. Here, you can see how nice my ginger plant is after only a few weeks of growth.

“Just wash the ‘sepok’ a bit before you start planting. Use an old tire or a basin, or anything that you can recycle,” she said.

The ‘sepok’ consists mainly of wood dust and debris, which Laura gathers from all over Kuala Baram to add to her mix of top-soil. This fertilising medium is sold for RM5 per pack.

Laura also shares with the writer the practice of using ‘sepok’ to help sweat out a fever, as prescribed by the medicine men and women of the olden days.

“It is like the traditional steam-bath or sauna, but instead of steam from the hot water, it’s the smoke from the burning ‘sepok’ that fills up an enclosed space that’s large enough to fit an average-build adult.

“That trapped heat should sweat all the sickness out.

“There’s also a claim about the smoke from the burning ‘sepok’ having the medicinal property to relieve pains from arthritis,” she added.

Photo shows some of the stalls lining by the road that leads to the Fishermen’s Market in Batu Satu.

Blooms nourished by coconut waste

Cecilia Ngau has a special product.

The Kayan trader, who is in her 50s, collects parts of the coconuts thrown away by the drinks stall operators around the area.

She cuts them into smaller pieces, and then dries them out in the sun.

She endorses these coconut chips as ‘a great fertiliser for orchids’.

In this respect, the proof is definitely in the pudding – the orchids displayed at her stall are inarguably the healthiest and most vibrant one can imagine such flower to be.

Matching such beauty is the price range – one can say that Cecilia’s orchids are quite pricey.

This, however, is immediately mitigated by the stall operator’s warm and friendly demeanour. Cecilia is generous when it comes to exchanging tips and information with fellow avid gardeners.

At times, she would even request her customers to sell plant cuttings to her.

“Bring your cuttings to me, and we’ll talk exchanges, or even sales,” she would persuade them with a smile.

Cecilia endorses these coconut chips as ‘a great fertiliser for orchids’.

Capitalising on social media

Majority of the stall operators in Batu Satu use social media to their advantage.

They would happily allow customers to take photos of the plants and the price lists at their lots, and share them on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp.
“WhatsApp really helps,” said Laura.

“Batu Satu is considered far from Miri city – nobody wants to be disappointed upon seeing plants or products that are not up to their expectations after driving so far to come here.

“To us, the best advertisement is by word of mouth.”

Reviving heritage of seeds

According to Cecilia and Laura, customers often ask them if they have seeds.
“Shops selling imported seeds are putting such a high price range, using lockdown as an excuse. “The seeds used to go for RM2 per packet – now, some are as priced as high as Rm5 per packet,” said Laura.

Adding on, Cecilia observed that many of the seeds bought had ‘expired’ – meaning that they had gone past the optimal planting period.

“It’s a pity, because many of the old farmers couldn’t read very well and they didn’t realise it when they bought the seeds. I pity them.

“For me, I’d process and pack the seeds of pumpkins, bitter gourds, cucumbers and ‘ensabi’ (bitter mustard) whenever I can, and sell them for as low as RM1 a packet,” she said, adding that her brinjal seeds were the most sought after item.

Cecilia believes that seeds are very important, and every family must keep and cultivate their own seeds.

“This is for the future generation.

“In the past, every family in our ‘kampung’ (village) in Baram used to keep the grains of the best rice. That’s not just a great memory for us – we should all be thankful to our grandparents and those before them for upholding the heritage of seeds so that we could benefit from all these wonderful crops.”

Regina Ranti, a friend of the writer, has been growing a variety of herbs like mint and ‘ka-chang ma’ (motherwort) since her retirement from teaching.

Like Cecilia, she holds seeds in high regard.

“I’d like to grow pumpkins, but this is a difficult undertaking.

“The bees are not of much help either – many have told me it’s a ‘global warming thing’. “The bees and the butterflies are just not as active in the city as those in the rural areas,” said Regina.

‘Stop and smell the roses’

Before bidding farewell, the writer bought some Japanese roses from Laura.
Selling these fragrant blooms at only RM5 per mini pot, she said she had heard about some nurseries tagging prices as high as RM15 per pot.

“Many a time, some expatriates would drop by at my stall and admire my plants.

“They say they like driving along the Baram coastal road, getting their dose of fresh air and seeing the sea – all while complying with all the SOPs.

“They urge me not to close too early as they prefer to come in the evening, when the air is much cooler.

“They seem to enjoy chatting with me,’ said Laura, looking ahead to the next monsoon season when more people would come down to Batu Satu.