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Redang folk turn to farming to survive pandemic

Hasnoor Hussain3 years ago5th Jul 2021Pictures
Farm in the island 20210629 tmihasnoor 001
Marzuki Abdullah waters the vegetables he grows at his restaurant, which he has converted into a farm, on Long Beach, Pulau Redang, Terengganu. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, June 5, 2021.
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PEOPLE on the tourist island of Pulau Redang, Terengganu have turned their hand to farming to survive the pandemic.

Campsite owner Aziruddin Majid said their harvest provides food for them as well as for sale at a time when the tourism sector is completely down.

He said that although he had no experience in farming, he had to do it for survival and help out his two employees who he could no longer pay. 

Yet at the same time, he said, they are burdened with the cost of renting land, maintaining tent sites, and personal loan payments for boat purchases and paying salaries to their workers.

Tourism is the second most important sector in the state which has been badly hit due to the implementation of the lockdown. There is no definite date as to when the lockdown would be eased as it depends on bringing down Covid-19 cases to the 4,000 daily threshold and having 10% of the population vaccinated. – July 5, 2021.

Marzuki Abdullah waters the vegetables he grows at his restaurant, which he has converted into a farm, on Long Beach, Pulau Redang, Terengganu. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, June 5, 2021.
Marzuki Abdullah waters the vegetables he grows at his restaurant, which he has converted into a farm, on Long Beach, Pulau Redang, Terengganu. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, June 5, 2021.
A group of Pulau Redang villagers paddle a boat through empty tourist boats as the island's tourism trade freezes following the travel restrictions imposed by the government. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
A group of Pulau Redang villagers paddle a boat through empty tourist boats as the island's tourism trade freezes following the travel restrictions imposed by the government. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Pulau Redang Islanders travel back home on a boat after purchasing raw food from the Terengganu mainland. The boat ride, which takes 45 to 60 minutes, is an additional expense to the islanders. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Pulau Redang Islanders travel back home on a boat after purchasing raw food from the Terengganu mainland. The boat ride, which takes 45 to 60 minutes, is an additional expense to the islanders. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
A group of resort workers gather around a camp fire on a beach at Pulau Redang. Resorts were not allowed to open due to the lockdown imposed by the government. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
A group of resort workers gather around a camp fire on a beach at Pulau Redang. Resorts were not allowed to open due to the lockdown imposed by the government. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Marzuki Abdullah checks on his plants. Marzuki, who used to run a restaurant on Pulau Redang, has resorted to growing food to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Marzuki Abdullah checks on his plants. Marzuki, who used to run a restaurant on Pulau Redang, has resorted to growing food to survive the Covid-19 pandemic. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Empty tables and overgrown vegetable plants can be seen at an outdoor compound of a restaurant on Long Beach, Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Empty tables and overgrown vegetable plants can be seen at an outdoor compound of a restaurant on Long Beach, Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
An empty campsite can be seen on Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
An empty campsite can be seen on Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Mohd Aziruddin Majid grows vegetables with the help of two workers, on Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Mohd Aziruddin Majid grows vegetables with the help of two workers, on Pulau Redang, Terengganu. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Despite losing his income, Ali, a staff at a Pulau Redang campsite, diligently collects rubbish that wash ashore on Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Despite losing his income, Ali, a staff at a Pulau Redang campsite, diligently collects rubbish that wash ashore on Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi and his brother-in-law, Muhammad Ariff Shafie, pick chilli from their new business venture, a chili farm, in Kg Baru Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi and his brother-in-law, Muhammad Ariff Shafie, pick chilli from their new business venture, a chili farm, in Kg Baru Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Muhammad Ariff Shafie (front) and Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi dry chilli that they farm and supply to grocery shops around Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Muhammad Ariff Shafie (front) and Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi dry chilli that they farm and supply to grocery shops around Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi holds his only child while he speaks to his business partner and brother-in-law, Muhammad Ariff Shafie, about their struggles during the pandemic, at a jetty in Kg Baru Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
Wan Muhammad Ashraf Wan Suhaimi holds his only child while he speaks to his business partner and brother-in-law, Muhammad Ariff Shafie, about their struggles during the pandemic, at a jetty in Kg Baru Pulau Redang. - The Malaysian Insight pic by Hasnoor Hussain, July 5, 2021.
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