KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 — After seven years in the tourism industry, partners Khairul Nizam Amat Zaini, 42, and Nor Azizan Adnan, 49, have turned to a salted fish venture to support their families.
When the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented following the COVID-19 pandemic last year, they began familiarising themselves with the fishmongering business by buying fresh fish sourced from Tanjong Karang, Kuala Selangor
“The tourism industry collapsed when the country was hit by the plague. We had to seek an alternative source of income to survive.
“So we began by selling fresh fish, but then gravitated towards making salted fish since December 2020 after realising its potential,’’ Khairul Nizam told Bernama.
He said the venture was triggered unwittingly after some fresh fish went unsold.
“There was some fish left unsold, so I thought of looking up Youtube on how to make salted fish,” said the co-owner of My Altitute 30 Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd.
He and his partner then attempted to make salted fish themselves by marinating them in salt, and putting them under the hot sun for several days.
“All the fishes would be weighed, cut and thoroughly cleaned to prevent bacterial reactions which can adversely affect their quality,’’ he said, adding that their product was sold under the label ‘Tiga Budak Travel’.
According to him, among the fishes popularly used to make salted fish are ‘Gelama’, ‘Tenggiri’, ‘Bulu Ayam’ and ‘Pelaling’, which are sold for between RM10 and RM70 a kilogramme.
“In the beginning, we used five kilogrammes of various types of fishes. Alhamdulillah, the response was encouraging,” he said.
Khairul Nizam said they were currently able to produce 80 to 100 kg of salted fish a week using the traditional method, and promoted and marketed the product via various social media platforms.
Looking at the potential of the business, he said both of them planned to open a shop one day.
‘’We think the tourism industry will not expand in the next three years. So alternatively, we are thinking of continuing this business,’’ he said.
— BERNAMA
