KUCHING: From 8am to 5pm daily, Bohari Repin would ride his motorcycle from his village Kampung Niup, Samarahan to Mile 2 here.
In front of a 24/7 convenience store, he would set up shop, and wait for customers.
Bohari, 53, has been making a living from repairing shoes since he was in his early 30s.
However, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck last year, his income has dropped. He would only repair five shoes or less in a day compared to 10 or more usually.
“I used to make RM100 or more in a day before the pandemic, but now I earn about RM60 or less,” he told New Sarawak Tribune.
He charges between RM10 to RM18 depending on the damage that needed to be fixed.
“I need to use some of the income to buy glue, threads, and soles, which cost me roughly RM200,” he said, adding that it took him 30 minutes to an hour to repair a pair of shoes.
Bohari used to do odd jobs before being a full-time cobbler, a skill he learned from a friend in Sibu.
His wife is not working, and looks after their four children aged two, five, 12 and 15.
He uses a large portion of his income to support his family, making sure that his children continue to receive education.
“On top of my earnings, I also receive financial assistance such as the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) and Bantuan Khas Sarawakku Sayang (BKSS). This has lessened my burden a little.”
He hoped the Sarawak government could provide a special assistance for cobblers.
“I think besides myself, other cobblers would be in need of more assistance as well during this difficult time.”
He added that he was fortunate the property owner allowed him to operate where he is now.
“I do hope that maybe the government or the local council can help me by installing a proper kiosk for me just like the ones for cobblers operating under the Satok flyover.”
When asked if he would prefer to operate in Samarahan, which is closer to home, Bohari said he chose to operate in Mile 2 because it had been a long time since he operated there and he also had his regular customers.
“People like us are grateful for what we have. Although my source of income is not that much, I’m happy that I can still go out and cari rezeki (earn a living),” he said with a smile.
