IT was noon at Pantai Siring in Malacca. Four men were gathered at the fishermen’s jetty waiting for low tide to dig for siput beliung, or pen shells, which make good eating.
Luckily, the weather was mild.
Every day since early July, Mohd Irfan Budin, 33, and his three friends have been hunting for the molluscs at Pantai Siring.
Irfan who lives in Pulai in Merlimau, Malacca, sold nasi lemak and is a former body builder. The Covid-19 pandemic hit his business hard and he lost his income when the movement control order was introduced.
His friends, who were a bodyguard, businessman and oil and gas contractor, have also lost their jobs.
They literally stumbled onto the idea of catching siput beliung to earn money when one of them, who was catching prawns at Pantai Siring, stepped on one
This gave Irfan the idea to sell the bivalves. A kilogramme sells for RM10 and the quartet can usually catch 25-50kg in five hours.
Many who buy from them are regulars, said Irfan.
But now the season is coming to an end, which means fewer of the marine creatures can be found. The four of them now have to spend more time combing the seabed for the tasty delicacies
Also, it’s a dangerous job that they do. They run the risk of running into poisonous sea snakes and jellyfish. Some of Irfan’s friends have been bitten or stung and ended up in the ICU in hospital.
Still, Irfan and friends are relieved because they have found a way to feed their families.– August 29, 2021.
It's not easy for a novice to catch the siput beliung, which live about a feet under the mud. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin (in orange) and his three friends wait for low tide at Pantai Siring in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.The men hunt for siput beliung using their feet to feel the creatures buried in the mud in the sea. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin with a basketful of the day's catch at Pantai Siring in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Baby siput beliung are released back into the sea because they need years to grow. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin and his friend are happy to have met their catch targets, at Pantai Siring in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Hunting is good at Pantai Siring, and most days, quite a few people can be seen combing the seabed for the siput beliung, in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin (right) and friend (L) cart their catch away in a trolley, at the Pantai Siring fishermen's jetty, in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin waits for his regular customer to pick up his order, at the Pantai Siring fishermen's jetty in Merlimau, Malacca. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Siput beliung, before and after they are cooked by Mohd Irfan Budin's wife, who prepares them in a variety of styles, including in curries, fried, and grilled. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.Mohd Irfan Budin is relieved to have found a means to support his wife and son, after losing his income last year. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, August 29, 2021.
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