While many young Malaysians leave their hometowns in search of better opportunities in the cities, Awang Nasruddin Awang Marekan chose a different path by returning to his village in Lingga, Sarawak, to continue his family’s farming legacy.
After spending two years working in Peninsular Malaysia, the 35-year-old returned home in 2018 to help his ageing father manage the family’s agricultural business. As the eldest of six siblings, he felt a responsibility to ensure years of hard work invested by his father would not go to waste.
“My father started everything from scratch. We were never a wealthy family,” Awang Nasruddin said.
“He planted the oil palm trees himself and developed freshwater fish ponds with assistance from the Department of Agriculture. The trees had matured and were ready for harvesting, and I knew I couldn’t let all his efforts go to waste.”
Today, Awang Nasruddin oversees around 600 oil palm trees and manages two tilapia ponds covering approximately five acres, turning the family farm into a sustainable source of income.
His success, however, did not come overnight. Rather than immediately taking over the business, he chose to learn every aspect of the industry from experienced workers.
Before purchasing his own fishing boat, he worked alongside veteran fishermen, earning daily wages while learning the trade and saving enough money to buy his own vessel.
“At first, I didn’t even own a boat. I followed senior fishermen to sea, learned the skills and saved every ringgit until I could afford one,” he said.
He applied the same approach to oil palm cultivation by working with experienced harvesters to master the harvesting process before eventually forming his own harvesting team as production increased.
His determination was put to the test during the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns disrupted traditional markets and left him struggling to sell his fresh fish and agricultural produce.
Instead of allowing his products to go to waste, Awang Nasruddin turned to social media, promoting fresh tilapia, pandan coconuts and other farm produce online while personally delivering orders directly to customers.
“The pandemic forced us to think differently. We had to move beyond traditional markets and adapt quickly,” he said.
Despite the recovery from the pandemic, farming in Lingga continues to present challenges, including unpredictable weather, labour shortages and the lack of nearby collection centres for oil palm fresh fruit bunches.
Without a local collection facility, smallholders are forced to transport their harvests to Betong or Sri Aman, increasing costs and making it more difficult to preserve fruit quality.
His growing agricultural activities have nevertheless attracted government attention, leading the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) and the Public Works Department (JKR) to improve roads and drainage infrastructure around Kampung Tanjung Jaya.
Awang Nasruddin has also benefited from support provided by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), obtaining Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification and participating in plantation management training programmes.
He now combines traditional fishing knowledge with modern technology by using GPS navigation to improve efficiency and safety while out at sea.
Looking ahead, Awang Nasruddin plans to expand his business once the Sebuyau-Lingga road project is completed, which is expected to significantly improve transport links between rural communities and major towns across Sarawak.
He hopes his story will inspire more young Malaysians to view agriculture as a rewarding career rather than something to be avoided.
“Don’t be ashamed to work in agriculture. It requires hard work and patience, but the rewards are worth it if you stay committed,” he said.
“If you don’t have experience, learn from those who do. Never be afraid to start from the bottom because success in farming or fishing doesn’t happen overnight. For those willing to work hard, the opportunities are right here at home.”
