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PHOTO ESSAY Puchong Perdana is fast developing as a township and industrial area.

Located at the edge of the Sepang district and just a stone’s throw away from Putrajaya and Cyberjaya which will in years to come be home to tens of thousands of people.

Puchong Perdana itself has about 40,000 residents, and this estimated to grow by 50 percent by 2020.

The area, once dotted with tin mines, is now surrounded by former mining ponds and open areas which have sent developers salivating.

But in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Klang Valley, one person sees a different way to reap the abundance of Puchong.

Known only as Radin, this man is likely the only “urban fisherman” of KL, casting his net as a source of living.

Among youths, he determined man who has claimed the term urban fisherman for himself for six years now, prefers to be called ‘Atuk’ (Grandpa).

But he is only 51 years old, and share the joy of five children with his wife of 31 years.

The Batu Pahat, Johor native was once also part of the rat race. He was a businessman, in the construction line. The fast pace of life left a gaping hole in his soul.

Do what you love and you’ll never work a single day in your life, they say, and so in 2009, Radin set his mind to turn his love for fishing into a source of income.

Radin now has three boats which he uses to fish in the former mining pond, but this is a far cry to when he first started as an urban fisherman.

At first, he started paddling out on cork boards which he found along the lake and fashioned into a sampan.

He also used a rather unconventional method of fishing - he used a trawl line (merawai).

He also uses a hook and line, sometimes, but these methods did not bring in the returns he desired.

This was when he started casting his net, stamping his claim on the title urban fisherman.

Radin catches at least 50 kilogram of fish on a daily basis - mostly tilapia, which is highly sought after in the market.

Radin goes fishing at night, after Isyak prayers, and returns home at 10am the next day.

Those who know him, will wait for him near the pond to get first dibs of his catch.

He sells the fish direct to the consumers out of the back of his truck, without the need to go through a middlemen, so he is able to sell at a price that is lower than market rates.

He also sells his catch at watering holes around Puchong in the later part of the day, and

with a low overhead, he takes home about RM8,000 every month.

His regular customers will know his usual spots and will often wait for him, and on days when he falls sick or is unable to make it for other reasons, Radin is filled with guilt.

He feels a sense of responsibility. It is not just about money, he says, but a social responsibility to provide fresh food for urbanites when it is otherwise not available.

His friendly demeanour makes him a favourite among locals, and in his free time, he can be found at his shack or chatting with children taking a dip in the pond.

“At least these kids are not getting involved in no good,” he says.

He wants the younger generation to experience a childhood full of fun, not one bogged down by technology and away from nature.

But being an urban fisherman isn’t all idyllic paddles in a pond.

Once, he says, smiling wryly, his sampan capsized in the middle of the pond but he managed to avert death.

“God sends you lessons through nature,” he says, the hard work of a fisherman failing to eclipse the softer, gentler side of this P Ramlee fan.

He is always willing to share what he knows to whoever asks, and is intensely passionate about giving back to him country and people.

Behind the ever smiling face, Radin hopes for greatness, something to share with generations to come.

QUA CHANG holds a diploma in architecture and enjoys photography and writing. He was born in Terengganu.

 

Puchong atau lebih tepat Putra Perdana sudah menjadi salah satu tempat yang sedang giat dibangunkan sebagai kawasan...

Posted by Malaysiakini (BM Version) on Friday, April 24, 2015