Good initiative: Wan Nur Akmal (right) showing the products at TAPAi Boutique in Wakaf Tapai, Marang. — Bernama
MARANG: The production of nearly 2,000 batik bags for delegates of the 2025 Asean Meeting has been a deeply meaningful experience for 14 persons with disabilities working at TAPAi Boutique in Wakaf Tapai here.
They have been involved in the project since the start of the year.
Despite facing a tight deadline of just two to three months to complete the order, these individuals, aged between 16 and 34, have embraced the challenge with enthusiasm and commitment.
For Siti Zulaikha Abd Muin, one of the most unforgettable moments was when she and her friends stayed overnight at the boutique for several days to ensure the bags were completed on time.
“From January to March, we practically lived at the boutique. Our parents would bring us fresh clothes every day, and I remember eating instant noodles late into the night with our teachers and friends.
“It may seem trivial, but those were beautiful memories,” she told Bernama.
Siti Zulaikha, who was born with physical disabilities, is one of the full-time workers at the boutique, which produces batik and songket handicrafts, including bags, accessories and souvenirs.
Another worker, Aishatul Radhiah Mohd Abdul Ghani, who is a deaf mute, described the Asean project as an opportunity to prove that people with disabilities are capable of producing quality products.
“It wasn’t easy to make so many bags in such a short time but with teamwork and determination, we pulled it off.
“I was so thrilled to see on the news the bags we made being used by Asean delegates,” she said in sign language, interpreted by Siti Zulaikha.
TAPAi Boutique manager Wan Nur Akmal Wan Ibrahim said the Asean project orders came from several ministries and government agencies.
“At the beginning of the year, we received an order for 200 batik backpacks from a ministry. After completing that, in March, another ministry placed an order for 300 batik bags of the same type.
“Not long after, someone from a government agency contacted me to place an order for 1,000 document bags, small clutches and lanyards,” she said.
She said they managed to complete everything on schedule.
Wan Nur Akmal said the Asean conference chaired by Malaysia this year, turned out to be a blessing for the boutique’s artisans, with some earning up to RM5,000.
TAPAi Boutique, located in the small town of Wakaf Tapai, has been operating since 2017, starting with a startup grant of RM18,000 from the Social Welfare Department under the economic empowerment project for the disabled.
It employs 14 workers, including those with Down Syndrome and autism, under the guidance of eight teachers, comprising two special education teachers from Koperasi Komuniti Cakna Wakaf Tapai Marang Bhd and six from the Wakaf Tapai Community-Based Rehabilitation Organisation.
“Attendance of the workers depends on their health and emotional state. However, each individual has unique skills that we truly value,” said Wan Nur Akmal.
In addition to bags and lanyards, other products made at the boutique are hair ties, wall clocks, neckties and handbags, all featuring local batik and songket designs.
