From their home in Kampung Permatang Pusu in Melor here, the couple produces ubi gegeli, a traditional herb that is popular as a cooling drink during warm weather.

Thanks to the sun, production has never been easier. “When it is hot, ubi gegeli can be dried within a day, as opposed to three to four days before,” Zulkhairul, 51, told Bernama.

Ubi gegeli, or “Lasia spinosa”, is a plant that typically grows wild in swampy or marshy areas. Long used in traditional remedies, it is now finding renewed interest among those looking for natural ways to cope with the heat.

Zulkhairul explained that the faster drying time means they can produce more dried ubi gegeli, the stems of which are also in demand. “It has become our main source of income,” he shared.

Sourcing the plant, too, has become easier during the dry season, as swampy areas begin to recede, revealing clusters growing in padi fields and along abandoned drains.

Back home, Roselina, 47, handles much of the preparation. The process begins with cleaning the plant thoroughly, removing roots and thorns before slicing it into pieces and leaving it to dry in the sun.

Timing is everything. “If the weather is good, we can process and sell it on the same day. But if it is not fully dried, it can spoil easily,” she said.

The couple now sells between 40 and 50 packets of the dried produce a day, with daily demand reaching up to 10kg. Apart from regular customers, their products are distributed through local agents.

Zulkhairul and Roselina shared that they initially started drying ubi gegeli for their own consumption – a practice that turned, over time, into a small business.

“We then began selling to villagers at RM20 per packet. The response was encouraging, so we expanded,” she recalled.

These days, that expansion includes social media: the couple promotes their products on platforms like TikTok, reaching customers beyond their immediate community and tapping into a wider interest in traditional, homegrown remedies.

Part of the appeal lies in what people believe the drink can do. Boiled ubi gegeli water is said to help cool the body, making it especially popular during periods of intense heat.

Whether consumed for its perceived health benefits or simply to slake thirst, demand continues to rise whenever temperatures climb.

For Zulkhairul and Roselina, it is a reminder that even in challenging weather, there are opportunities to be found.