Compiled by DIVYA THERESA RAVI and TAN SIN CHOW
WHAT began as a simple fishing hobby at the age 25, has grown into an international business crafting handmade wooden fishing lures, Sinar Harian reported.
Mohd Abdullah Said, 46, also known as Pak Tam, has expanded his Kuantan business into Indone-sian, Brunei and Singaporean markets.
“At first I followed my friends and saw how Thais made wooden bait and attempted to make it too. Within one to two years, as my skill improved, I started selling to villages,” he said.
“Each lure is carved and shaped manually. It takes me about half an hour to complete one lure. In a month I get orders for about 100 to 200 units.
“Among the designs produced include lizards and frogs that are adapted to local fishing techniques,” he explained, adding that prices range from RM15 to RM40.
> For nearly two decades, Norida Akmal Ayob has not been able to spend Ramadan in Malaysia, but this year, she’s coming home, Kosmo! Online reported.
Norida, 45, followed her ex-husband who is an Indonesian citizen to Lombok about 20 years ago. However, after their separation, she faced financial hardship while raising their children on her own. Spending Ramadan in Malaysia again is a moment she once thought was impossible.
“I had to remain in Lombok because it was very difficult to earn money,” she said, adding that she relied solely on her income working at a small shop.
“I feel happy to celebrate Rama-dan in my hometown with my family. I hope for understanding and support from local residents given my situation.”
(The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.)
