MIRI: Nestled in the city centre here lies Kampung Wireless, a fishing village on the bank of the Miri River relatively untouched by the surrounding commercial developments.
But like much of Miri, the haze also takes its toll on the village. With much of their livelihood dependent on the catch of the day, villagers and fishmongers have taken quite a hit due to the prevailing haze.
Ansam Jai, 48, a local fishmonger at Kampung Wireless revealed that sales of fish have decreased due to the hazy condition — fewer fishermen brave the waters because of visibility issues and visitors to the village stalls have also decreased.
“Our usual volume of fish sales is 60kg to 70kg per day. Now, because of the haze, it is about 20kg to 30kg per day,” lamented Ansam when interviewed by New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
At times, he even had to rely on obtaining fish from Bintulu to make up for the short supply. However, the fishmonger stated that the prices of fish sold are maintained despite the challenges faced.
On the bright side, Ansam remarked that recent developments such as nearby Pullman Hotel have not hindered business at the stall.
“In fact, we sometimes get customers from Brunei who are staying at Pullman Hotel. They buy fish here and take it back with them,” he said.
The long standing stall has been running for over 20 years.
Meanwhile, residents of Kampung Wireless Jainun Pengail, 58, and Jessyca Lek, 27, called for the preservation of the village.
“They should preserve this village as it is the last fishing village in the city. Many villages have gone extinct here but we want ours to be maintained,” Jessyca urged.
On the village’s proximity to the commercial centre, she smiled and stated that it was indeed convenient for the residents as they could just walk over to nearby shops to buy items.
Jessyca has lived in Kampung Wireless since she was born, and her father is a fisherman.
According to Jainun, there are approximately 200 houses in Kampung Wireless.
When asked about her daily activities in the village, she mentioned that she sold kuih and also produced sun-dried ikan masin (salted fish) using fish purchased from the fishermen.
Kampung Wireless was established in 1949, making it one of the oldest villages in Miri.
It gets its name from a telecommunication tower that was erected in the heart of the village by the British government in the 50s.
The villagers comprise mainly of Malay and Melanau fishermen.
In the past few years, the village has seen upgrades to its wooden walkways and bridges, replacing old dilapidated paths.
