Terengganu sememangnya terkenal dengan seni kraf warisan dan hasil kraftangan yang mempunyai nilai khazanah dan sentimentalnya tersendiri. Jika usaha dan langkah pemulihan tidak diambil besar kemungkinan ia akan pupus ditelan zaman. Suatu ketika dahulu para pengusaha dan pakarnya memperolehi pendapatan yang cukup lumayan dan diberi penghormatan oleh masyarakat. Sememangnya Terengganu amat unik kerana selain hasil anyaman yang berasaskan daun mengkuang, ada satu lagi sektor anyaman yang amat kurang diketahui umum. Ini adalah hasil seni anyaman daripada pokok kercut. Pokok kercut atau kumbuh adalah dari spesis rumpai yang batangnya panjang lurus bulat dan berlubang seperti straw. Malangnya hasil anyaman daripada pokok ini tidak begitu meluas; terhad di daerah Setiu sahaja dengan hasil anyamannya rata-rata tertumpu kepada produk tikar semata-mata.
Terengganu is known for its heritage arts and traditional handicrafts which are unique, embedded with its sentimental values. Should it be left with no effort or step taken to revive and rejuvenate this invaluable heritage and tradtion will likely face extinction. In its glorious days, its craftsmen and entrepreneurs were looked upon as noble, respected by society and leading a comfortable life. Indeed Terengganu is famous for its handicrafts from mengkuang based. In addition, there is another form of little known handicraft-woven product produced from a type of plant only commonly found in Terengganu, called kercut or scientifically called “lepironia articulata”. Kercut or kumbuh is a species of weeds whose trunk is long, straight, circular and hollow like a straw. Unfortunately, hitherto the produce have been closely confined to Setiu, mainly in the form of mats.
Menyedari hakikat perlunya satu usaha dan tindakan bagi memastikan produk berasaskan pokok kercut ini “tak lapuk dek hujan, tak lekang dek panas”, maka YDSM dengan tajaan Hibiscus Petroleum Berhad (Hibiscus Petroleum) serta dengan kerjasama beberapa agensi Kerajaan tampil berkolaborasi bagi menyubur dan menghidupkan kembali Projek Tanaman dan Produk Berasaskan Kercut di Daerah Setiu di bawah Program Memperkasakan Sosio Ekonomi Keluarga Nelayan dan Miskin Terengganu.
Realizing the importance of ensuring its survivality and sustainability, YDSM through the sponsorship of Hibiscus Petroleum Berhad (Hibiscus Petroleum) and the combined services of a number of relevant Government agencies, have come forward to revive the kercut plant and kercut based products in Setiu. The move is part of the project under the YDSM’s Socio-Economic Empowerment Programme for Fishermen and Marginalised Families of Terengganu.
Program ini juga adalah sejajar dengan objektif dan matlamat YDSM yang pada dasarnya adalah untuk mempertingkat dan memperkasakan sosio ekonomi rakyat Negeri Terengganu Darul Iman khasnya dan Malaysia secara keseluruhannya. Sebagai permulaannya, beberapa siri mesyuarat telah diadakan bagi menggerakan projek ini. Oleh itu, sekumpulan 15 orang yang terdiri dari isteri nelayan dan keluarga miskin telah dipilih bagi menjalani “Kursus Makmal – Pembangunan dan Pengeluaran Produk Kraf Anyaman Kercut”. Sebahagian daripada Kursus ini, peserta didedahkan dengan teknik pewarnaan dan pembuatan beg kercut. Kursus dikendalikan oleh Jabatan Kraftangan Negeri Terengganu pada 14-18 Ogos 2022 bertempat di Pandan Laut Beach Resort, Setiu, Terengganu.
The move by YDSM to kickstart this programme is indeed in line with its core objective of empowering and advancing the socio-economic status of the people in Terengganu in particular and Malaysia as a whole. Initially, a series of meetings were held to steer of the project. Aa a result, group of fifteen (15) participants were selected among spouses of fishermen and needy or marginalised families to undergo a “Laboratory Course – Development and Production of Kercut Based Weaving Handicraft”, conducted by the Terengganu State Handicrafts Department for five days from the 14th to the 18th August, 2022 at Pandan Laut Beach Resort, Setiu, Terengganu. As part of the Course participants were exposed to colouring techniques and production of bags.
Ekoran itu, tempahan mesin dan peralatan penting bagi permulaan projek seperti mesin meleper dan mesin pencelup juga dibuat. Peralatan ini penting dalam memastikan kelancaran proses kerja, menjimatkan masa, mengurangkan penggunaan tenaga manusia dan jumlah pengeluaran produk lebih besar dan lebih kemas serta menarik. Selama ini segala gerak kerja ini dilakukan dengan tangan dan kudrat penganyam dan pengusaha sahaja. Hasrat YDSM amat jelas adalah untuk memastikan produk yang merupakan seni kraf ini terpelihara, diwarisi oleh generasi mendatang. Selain itu juga penting ia dapat dijadikan produk pelancongan yang mampu menjana pendapatan pengusaha secara konsisten.
As a result, orders for equipment and tools for the project such as flattening and dyeing machines have to be commissioned. These equipments are critical to ensure the process would be run eficiently, savings production time, reducing the heavy use of manpower which would in turn help to generate bigger volume of output with better quality and attractive product. Prior to this the work processes were mainly by hand which are heavily dependent upon the tenacity, diligence and patience of weavers and the entrepreneurship of producers. In sofar as YDSM is concerned, the purpose of its embarking upon this undertaking is very clear: to ensure that this type of traditional handicraft is sustainable and protected whilst in the same breadth be able to be passed on and inherited by generations to come. It is also crucial that it would have to be transformed into an attraction for the tourism industry, generating consistent revenue for its producers and entrepreneurs.
