TEMERLOH: It is business as usual for patin lovers despite news that the silver catfish in some states were being fed with pig carcasses
Patin tempoyak, a signature dish here, is still being sought as consumers are convinced that Temerloh's Patin are being reared here.
Patin breeders said those in doubt can see for themselves the cages where the patins are being reared.
One of them, Feisal Norawi, 32, said local breeders do not buy patins from neighbouring states but rear them from fries.
"The cases in Perak and Selangor have yet to affect the industry here but I don't know what will happen in future," said the father of two.
He said the industry remained strong and more patins were sold throughout the fasting month of Ramadan.
"About one tonne of patin were sold daily at the Ramadan bazaar this year compared with only 150 kilogrammes last year," he said.
Patin traders along Jalan Temerloh- Bera also recorded higher sales due to the strong demand this year.
"Customers continue to buy our patins as the quality and freshness are guaranteed. Most of the traders also rear their own fish in the cages in Sungai Pahang that could be seen from the roadside stalls," he said on news that patin breeders in Perak and Selangor were feeding fishes with pork.
Patin lover Rahidan Osman,72, said she had no doubt on the quality and the halal status of the fish sold here.
"I'm confident that the locals had fed them with feed pellets.
"As a Muslim, they should know what is forbidden by the religion," said the housewife from Kuantan.
Rahidan, who was born in Ipoh, admitted that she never liked the patin in her hometown although patin tempoyak is also popular in Perak.
"The taste and meat texture of patin in Perak is different from Pahang fish. Honestly, I could only eat patin tempoyak if the fish is from Temerloh," she said.
Restaurant owner Wan Zahimah Hussein, 47, agreed that the negative publicity did not affect the patin industry here.
"The people still come in droves to enjoy patin dishes at my two restaurants here. The most popular dishes are patin tempoyak and "patin masak lemak" (patin cooked in spicy coconut milk gravy)," said Wan Zahimah who is fondly known as Kak Ima among her regular customers.
She said the patins cooked at her restaurants were bought directly from local breeders to ensure their freshness and quality.
"My husband and I will select the fish at the cages to ensure that they meet our standard and are not brought from outside Temerloh," she said.
She added that the people here also trusted the local breeders as they had known each other for so long.
At the same time, she said the people here also knew how to differentiate local and imported patin.
While a normal patin was sold between RM15 and RM18 per Kilogramme, the prices of wild patin could fetch RM60 per kg while a cooked delicacy could reach RM300 per fish.
"Patrons can still enjoy the normal patin priced at between RM8 and RM10 per piece, which is normally cooked in tempoyak gravy," she said.
She said the patins that one should have doubts were those sold at supermarkets as they were normally supplied by breeders from other states.
Wan Zahimah believed that Temerloh would continue to live to its name as "Bandar Ikan Patin" (Patin Town) as long as those in the industry remain truthful and responsible.
