Fidtec teaches Orang Asli students fish processing methods

LUMUT - A total of 40 Orang Asli students from SMK Sultan Idris Shah II, Gerik participated in a programme to improve skills in processing fishery products at the Manjung Fisheries Technology Development Centre (Fidtec) here.

The programme which began yesterday aimed to give the students in Form Three and Form Four the opportunity to gain knowledge on the ‘surimi’ and ‘otoshimi’ fish processing methods.

Among the products that can be produced through the methods are fish balls, ‘keropok lekor’, nuggets, sausages, burgers, ‘otak-otak’ and ‘popiah’.

Nani A. Rahman, 16, said she was interested in participating in the programme to learn how to process fish balls, her favourite food product.

"After learning it, I found that the process of making them was not so difficult and I will make them at home when I return to the village to have with my parents and siblings," said the daughter of a rubber tapper who lives in Kampung Sungai Untung, Gerik.

Nur Badazuin Ajam, 16, who loves cooking, said she was very excited about the programme when she found out about it from her teacher.

"I will try to teach my mother and other siblings to produce fish products based on the surimi and otoshimi processing methods, because the ingredients are not hard to find and the process of making them is also not that complicated.

"I also plan to start a business selling the products as soon as I finish school, to earn a living," said the youngest of seven siblings.

The school's senior teacher, Nor Asrina Habibul Rahman, said most Orang Asli students, especially females, did not continue their studies after Form Five, and some of them just remained at home without any job.

"When I told the students about this programme, many were interested in participating because they really like to cook at home.

"So, I think this programme is one of the efforts to open their minds to learn something new and think outside the box. Most of their parents catch fish and only sell them around the village area.

"It is highly likely that after this, these students will be able to produce such products (surimi and otoshimi) and thus be able to generate their own income when they finish school," she said.

Manjung Fidtec head Norazlina Nordin said she found the Orang Asli students who participated in the programme to be very proficient.

She said all the students easily understood the explanations given to them regarding the processing methods.

"This is the first time we have taught school students from the Orang Asli community as before this, we trained entrepreneurs, women, prison inmates and some NGOs," he said.

Norazlina said those who were new to the processing methods would take three to four hours to make the products, while skilled persons would take one and a half hours.

"The manufacturing process is not difficult, if we process it on a small scale it is only done manually, while for a larger scale, it is necessary to use a machine," she said. - BERNAMA