BATIK STAMPING IN FELDA HUTAN PERCHA: FROM VILLAGE COURSE TO THRIVING CRAFT

By Mohd Fakri Awang Lah

ALOR GAJAH, March 18 (Bernama) -- Barely six months after it began, a small batik stamping workshop in Felda Hutan Percha has quietly grown into a source of pride for the local community, drawing praise from batik enthusiasts for its distinctive bullock-cart wheel and kesidang flower motifs.

The story started last August with a three-day intensive course organised by the Melaka branch of the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation (PKKM).

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For many residents, it was simply an opportunity to learn a new craft. For a handful of them, it became the start of something bigger.

The workshop manager, Sapinah Sagap, 42, recalled how Melaka PKKM went beyond teaching the basics of batik stamping.

She said the agency also helped shape the identity of the Felda Hutan Percha community’s products by introducing stamping blocks featuring the bullock-cart wheel and kesidang flower, symbols closely associated with Melaka.

“The support did not stop when the course ended. Participants were provided with essential materials such as fabric and dyes, giving them the confidence to take the first step into business.

“Of the 30 people who attended the first phase of the course, 11 decided to pursue the craft seriously and agreed to chip in RM130 each as a commitment fee to start the venture, with profits to be distributed every six months,” she told Bernama.

So far, the creative workshop has produced a variety of batik clothing, including baju melayu, blouses, cardigans, baju kurung, children’s wear and T-shirts, as well as fashion accessories such as bracelets, hair clips, hand fans, lanyards, scrunchies and brooches to meet customer demand.

Garments are priced between RM60 and RM280, depending on the fabric and design, using materials such as cotton poplin, Maserati, viscose, satin and tencel satin.

Sapinah said the community group is now struggling to keep up with demand for batik-based products, including clothing and accessories.

“We have received two invitations from hotels to set up booths at their premises in Ayer Keroh and Banda Hilir, as well as several other tourist spots around Melaka.

“We have also been invited to take part in handicraft carnivals in Johor and Kuala Lumpur since last December, even though we only started learning batik stamping in August,” she said.

Meanwhile, workshop participant Normah Ahmad, 60, said she joined the programme to prep herself to stay active and productive, as well as to make optimal use of her time after her retirement later this year.

“I’m a teacher, and I usually teach in the afternoons, so I use the mornings to complete batik orders at the workshop with my friends.

“My children are all grown up and married, so my husband, Hamdan Baba, 60, and I decided to join the batik workshop to make good use of our free time,” she said.

-- BERNAMA