KUALA NERUS, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Ahead of the monsoon season, a fibreglass boat shop in Kampung Tebauk here has become a focal point for residents preparing to face rising floodwaters.
Shop owner Masduki Mohd, 41, said demand for the boats has risen by up to 60 per cent.
“Many people are now taking early steps to prepare for floods. Much of our stock has sold out, and we have to keep additional boats on standby to meet demand.
“From October until January next year, we are on call 24 hours a day. Sometimes customers come late at night to buy fibreglass boats because water levels are already rising, and some want to rent boats to safeguard their belongings,” he told reporters here today.
Masduki, who runs the business with his brother, Masrul Nizam, 26, said customers come not only from Terengganu but also from Kelantan and Johor.
“The rise in demand for boats reflects growing awareness among residents to prepare early for floods, which in turn boosts the income of local boat operators,” he said.
He added that the business was inherited from their father Mohd Abu Bakar, 72, who previously owned a boat manufacturing factory in Teluk Pasu, Manir.
However, the factory had to close after being hit by floods three years ago, and production is now carried out at another factory owned by a friend of their father in Kuantan, Pahang.
“We sell fibreglass boats ranging from eight to 17 feet. For flood-season use, boats under 14 feet are the most popular, with prices ranging from RM900 to RM3,500,” he said.
Masduki also said that during normal periods, they sell 20 to 30 boats a month, but sales rise sharply during major floods.
He explained that after the flood season, demand continues from customers who purchase boats for fishing or everyday use, ensuring the fibreglass boat business remains sustainable.
Meanwhile, local resident Jusoh Ahmad, 50, said he decided to buy a boat for RM1,500 after his house is submerged under more than two metres of water each year during the flood season.
“Every year my house gets flooded. This time, I decided to buy a boat as a precautionary measure since I rear goats on my property.
“It makes it much easier for me to move my livestock to safer areas,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
