By Annabelle Lawrence
KEPALA BATAS: Capal Jago maker Badril Shahidan Hashim is working round-the-clock to meet customers’ orders for his traditional footwear, which is in high demand as Hari Raya Aidilfitri approaches.
The owner of Capal Jago Gemilang, Badril, 42, said he had received up to 300 orders so far, ahead of the festival.
“I try to sew the capals mostly at night for this Ramadhan month as in the day I have to work while entertaining my customers. If I work all out, I will try to complete about 25 pairs of capals in 20 hours a day, depending on the pattern of the capal,” he said when met by Bernama here recently.
Badril, a second-generation maker of Capal Jago, said he had to stop receiving orders as he is the only person producing the traditional footwear.
He will start taking orders again, likely a week before Aidilfitri, after he has completed the present batch.
“I have been receiving orders from Terengganu, Kelantan, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and more. I also receive orders through Shopee and Lazada,” said Badril, who inherited the business from his late father Hashim Hassan, who started producing capals in 1958.
Badril, who learnt how to sew capal from his father at the age of nine, said many people still prefer to use capals because of their durability and value for money.
He also made exclusive capals for some customers who wished to show their support for political parties in the last general election.
“I had customers requesting for green and blue capals to show their support,” he said.
Badril said he had also received orders from customers in Singapore, Brunei and Australia.
Besides Malay customers, Badril also received orders from Indians and Chinese.
“I have Indian, Malay and Chinese customers. I prepare white capals for my Indian customers as it would be suitable for them to wear to temples,” he added.
Among his distinguished clients are Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former housing and local government minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican and Melaka Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam.
Badril’s capals are made from cow skin, goat skin, buffalo skin and snake skin leather and priced between RM150 and RM480 a pair. – BERNAMA
