The fishermen's friend: Young Malaysian helps fishermen get a fair wage

Shalan Jum'at (left) and his customers at Pasar Pendekar Laut. Photo: Dr Serina Rahman

As the son of a fisherman, Shalan Jum’at has witnessed, all his life, how hard it was for his dad to earn a decent wage from their honest day’s work. Desiring to see the fishermen in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, earn a fair wage for their hard labour, Shalan started Pasar Pendekar Laut (Sea Warriors’ Market) at Gelang Patah, Johor, several years ago.

“I saw the struggles that my father and other fishermen had to go through just to put food on the table, only to be exploited by wealthy middlemen who would pay a pittance for the catch but resell it at high prices in markets in the city,” says the 35-year-old fisherman-turned-entrepreneur.