LKIM doesn’t help fishermen as much as Penang gov’t does

Penang government has distributed free nets to fishermen twice yearly and allocated a state budget for artificial reefs, Dr Afif Bahardin says.

PETALING JAYA: The Penang government has challenged the Fisheries Development Board (LKIM) to “show” they are doing their part for fishermen, not only in Penang but nationwide.

State executive councillor (exco) for agriculture, agro-based industries, rural development and health, Dr Afif Bahardin said the Board should prove what they have done to help fishermen increase their earnings.

“Penang (government) has been giving this group of people free fishing nets, twice a year, as part of our manifesto and we also (included an allocation) in the budget (for 2016) to build artificial reefs (in Pulau Aman and Pulau Kendi) to increase the fisherman’s income and volume of the catch,” he told FMT today.

“Can Irmohizam (LKIM’s chairman) do the same?” he asked, adding he has not even been successful in giving licenses to the fishermen there.

The Seberang Jaya assemblyman was responding to a statement issued by Irmohizam Ibrahim yesterday that the Penang government’s land reclamation project at three locations, namely Permatang Damar Laut, Sungai Batu and Teluk Kumbar, would not benefit fisherman and were more about commercialisation.

“If LKIM really cares about the fishermen and land reclamation issue, they should focus on (land) reclamation in other states such as Johor,” he said.

“I am challenging Irmohizam, if he and LKIM can do what Penang is doing now, by giving the fishermen throughout Malaysia free nets yearly and not during election period, then only come and talk to us,” Dr Afif said.

He also refuted Irmohizam’s claims that the welfare of fishermen was being ignored and argued that on the contrary, the Penang government constantly engaged with people living along coastal areas through representatives of the consortium working on the land reclamation projects.