Natural Spring Powers Kampung Klian Gunung's Prawn Success

Nestled against the scenic Bintang Hijau Range, Kampung Klian Gunung in Ijok is gaining attention for its sweet, mud-free giant freshwater prawns—farmed in mountain-fed ponds that have become a vital source of income for a handful of villagers.

Although farmed, fans say these giant freshwater prawns—popularly known as ‘blue claw prawns’ or ‘si jenggo’— taste just as good as their wild counterparts. Sweet and free from any muddy aftertaste, their exceptional quality has stirred curiosity about the farmers’ secret.

According to them, there’s no real secret—just the use of fresh mountain spring water, channelled directly from a 300-metre-high waterfall into their prawn ponds.

Using PVC and polyethylene pipes, oxygen-rich water from Lata Puteh is channelled into the ponds, creating an ecosystem similar to the prawns’ natural habitat. The species’ scientific name is Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

“The water from Lata Puteh naturally contains dissolved oxygen from the waterfall’s splashes, which is a big advantage for me. It also saves costs since there’s no need to install water wheels or electric pumps to oxygenate the ponds.

“According to customer feedback, the prawns we farm here are not only sweet but also free from any muddy smell,” said prawn farmer Yusni Dahalan to Bernama.

NO PIPE WATER SUPPLY

Yusni, 48, has been in the business for six years, inheriting the trade from his family, who were among the first to farm freshwater giant prawns using mountain spring water some 25 years ago.

Besides him, eight other farmers in the village are registered with the Selama District Council (MDS).

Yusni said he is able to produce more than 700 kg of lobsters per harvest, which are sold directly to customers around Perak and neighboring states at a price of RM80 per kilo.

He said the use of mountain water started due to the lack of piped water in the village at the time.

 “We knew giant prawns fetched high prices, which motivated us to start farming them. But back then, our village didn’t have piped water—we depended on the waterfall for daily use. That’s when the idea to use it for the prawn ponds came about,” he explained.

Although only about 25 kilometres from the small town of Selama, Kampung Klian Gunung is considered a rural area and has largely been untouched by modernisation. Its pristine natural environment remains intact, making it one of the agrotourism spots in Perak.

The father of four currently manages eight ponds, each measuring 650 square metres and capable of housing around 10,000 prawns at a time.

“We purchase 40-day-old juvenile prawns from a hatchery in Manjung and place them in each pond, allowing them to grow until they reach maturity at around five to six months, with each prawn averaging over 18 centimetres in length.

“We feed the prawns with specially formulated feed three times a day—about 1.2 kilogrammes (kg) per pond daily. This amount increases monthly as they grow,” said the Selama resident.

Farmers simply utilise water from the mountains which is channeled directly from a 300-meter-high cascade to their shrimp farming ponds.

Yusni said he can harvest over 700 kg of prawns per cycle, which are sold directly to customers in Perak and neighbouring states at RM80 per kg.

“Demand is very high, and I still haven’t been able to expand to more distant markets,” he added, noting that he also offers prawn fishing activities for enthusiasts and visitors wanting to experience catching "si jenggo" themselves.

Charging RM15 per hour, Yusni opens his ponds for this activity from Tuesday to Sunday, from 4 pm to 11 pm.

“Weekends and school holidays draw big crowds, mostly visitors wanting the thrill of catching these giant prawns.

“We also offer cooking services for the prawns they catch, with dishes like prawn noodle soup and prawn curry noodles,” he said, adding that meals are priced from RM20 and up.

SELAMA AS AN AGROTOURISM HUB

Meanwhile, MDS President Nor Akmal Yang Ghazali said there are currently 300 mountain-water-fed prawn ponds in the Ijok subdistrict, operated by 68 registered farmers.

“These mountain spring prawn ponds are valuable assets for MDS to promote in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026. What makes them unique is the use of mountain water—something not available elsewhere,” he told Bernama.

The community-based tourism approach is seen as opening up new economic generation opportunities for residents.

He noted that there are seven waterfalls in Selama, with three located in Ijok—Lata Puteh, Lata Buluh, and Lata Titi Dua—and the 300 ponds draw water from Lata Puteh and Lata Buluh.

“Selama district has the advantage of clean, unpolluted natural resources, and its village communities still practise conventional farming and aquaculture methods.

“We want to ensure that products like these are not only seen as economic activities for local entrepreneurs but also as unique experiences for tourists, highlighting the area’s natural beauty,” he said.

Nor Akmal said that in addition to these activities, MDS, in collaboration with the MDS Tourism Strategic Partner Network (RSP-MDS), also offers various community-based tourism products including traditional village coffee enterprises, small and medium-sized industries, fruit orchards, and natural recreational areas like the Seven Waterfalls of Selama.

He added that this approach also opens up new income-generating opportunities for villagers, creates jobs, and helps boost rural tourism inclusively.

“As the governing body overseeing these entrepreneurs, MDS remains committed to improving basic infrastructure and enhancing digital promotion strategies to ensure local agrotourism products are recognised not only nationally but also internationally,” he said.