SETIU: A teenager in Terengganu is giving coconut-plucking monkeys a run for the money, climbing trees as high as 24m in seconds to pluck up to 100 fruits a day.

       While others would take at least five minutes, Mohammad Amin Abd Rahman can climb up a 10m coconut tree in no more than 20 seconds.

       The 19-year-old’s speed enables him to earn up to RM2,000 a month plucking coconuts.

       Fondly known as Amin, the third of seven children from Kampung Mangkuk said he started learning to climb coconut trees at the age of 14 to help his father Abdul Rahman Dahat, 50.

       “On average, I am able to climb four to 10 trees and pluck between 40 and 100 young coconuts a day.

       “The young coconuts are sold for RM1.50 each to traders in Setiu district and being the only young coconut plucker in the village, my service is very much in demand,” he told Bernama here recently.

       Kampung Mangkuk has been declared Terengganu’s first tourism village by the state government.

       Amin attributed his skill and speed in climbing coconut trees without using any support equipment to having done so since he was young.

       He said many tourists who saw him climbing the trees were amazed and would take pictures and videos of him at work.

       “I consider it my small contribution to promote Kampung Mangkuk.

       “I hope that it will attract more tourists to Terengganu to experience life in the village and be one with nature,” he added.