‘Lemang’ high season helps rubber tapper earn extra

Mohd Alias (left) and Sufian gathering wild bamboo to make the traditional ‘lemang’ for Hari Raya. Left: Mohd Alias storing the bamboo in his home. Mohd Alias (left) and Sufian cutting the bamboo stems to size for ‘lemang’ sellers. — Photos: Bernama

HARI RAYA is peak season for wild bamboo gatherer, Mohd Alias Mohd Hashim, from Felda Hutan Percha in Melaka.

The rubber tapper is able to earn a supplemental income of RM1,000 and RM1,500 by supplying bamboo.

He said orders usually would come in before Ramadan, so he and his friend Sufian Yassin would go looking for bamboo in the forests of Alor Gajah (Melaka) and Tampin (Negri Sembilan) to meet demand.

Mohd Alias (left) and Sufian cutting the stems to size for his customers who are lemang sellers.

They normally head out in the morning and return with their harvest in the afternoon.

The bamboo would be stored in their homes until Hari Raya.

Customers typically begin collecting their order about a week before Ramadan, he said, while adding he charges just RM2 per stem.

This year, he had received orders for about 500 stems from customers across the state.

Mohd Alias storing the bamboo in his home.

Mohd Alias sells lemang too, setting up his stall three days before Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

“My wife makes rendang ayam kampung maman to go with it,” he told Bernama.

His lemang is priced from RM12 to RM16 depending on size, while the rendang is RM10 per pack.

“During those three days, we work very hard to prepare the lemang and rendang,” Mohd Alias said adding that they would continue selling if orders kept coming.