Saw Chin Choon is a traditional trishaw maker in George Town. His workshop is located on Lebuh Stewart, just behind the Goddess of Mercy temple. He has been in the trishaw-making industry for around 13 years.
Saw has around 35 trishaws which he rents out on a monthly basis – and at a very cheap fee – to the many trishaw peddlers around George Town. He has also received orders from heritage hotels around Malaysia, but because he is the only one making the trishaws without the aid of any assistants, the number of trishaws he can produce is limited.
According to Saw, making a trishaw requires an estimated one to two months, depending on the availability of parts. Sadly, of late, he is facing rental issues; rent has increased tremendously over the past few years, and this might force him to move out.
But for the time being, it’s business as usual for the trishaw maker of George Town.
