Beca in Kelantan

Kelantan Exco Encourages youngsters to take up trishaw trader

Kelantan State Unity, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Committee Chairman's remarks in encouraging young people to take up trishaw or beca should be applauded. However, the focus first and foremost should be fixing the underlying problems within the beca industry in Malaysia as a whole.

Encouraging the use of our cultural heritage is an important aspect, but the industry has been declining for the past few years. So, by asking the younger generation to take up a job in the dying industry is unwise.

As stated by Persatuan Hotel Malaysia Kelantan (MAH), the Kelantan state had helped trishaw traders by equipping them with motor-powered devices to ease the labor-intensive work. But the incentive should not stop there, as there are other aspects that needs to be considered for the revival of our cultural heritage.

Regulations need to be set in terms of the modernization, safety, pricing, and overall aesthetic value of the industry.

Modernization

• We can look to Indonesia on how they implement the cashless system for Angkutan Kota (Angkot). This gives riders and tourists a sense of security. It also helps traders to show their sincerity in basing the price rate. They can consider incorporating into existing e-hailing apps as well.

Safety

• Other than that, Kelantan state should look at how to ensure the safety of both traders and tourists riding the trishaw. There should be a designated lane for the trishaws (at least during peak season/timing), designated parking, and passenger embarkment and dis-embarkment area around the place of attractions.

Pricing

• If we look at Cambodia and Thailand in 2010s, the decline in tourists taking up tuk-tuk and other means of individual transportation declined at a worrisome rate as prices for the ride was not regulated properly. The bad experiences by tourists have garnered an unwarranted image towards the transportation system which in the end damaged the honest traders who just wanted to make a living from it.

Aesthetic Value

• Looking at the trishaw traders in Melaka, we can see there is a lack in preservation of culture and heritage as most of the trishaws are heavily decorated with dolls and figurines that does not represent the identity of Melaka itself. On top of that, loud disturbing "dangdut" songs are played and this may deter visitors as they could not enjoy the overall landscape/aesthetic aspects of the area visited. Designs and aesthetic value of the trishaw should promote unique cultural aspects of Kelantan.

Written by: Daniel