Raise fishermen’s allowance to RM500, LKIM tells govt

 

LKIM chairman Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said fishermen had been facing a depleting catch, affecting their income. (Facebook pic)

BUKIT GANTANG: The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) hopes the fishermen’s subsistence allowance can be increased from RM300 to RM500.

LKIM chairman Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal said this could help the group face up to the depleting catch which has affected their income.

“I have my own formula, which is to raise the allowance by reducing the excessive oil subsidy and channelling it to increase the subsistence allowance for fishermen.

“After doing the calculations, it can be implemented without any additional allocation,” he told reporters after presenting outboard motors to 25 recipients here today.

Syed Abu Husin Hafiz said should the government approve the increase, about 40,000 fishermen nationwide would get an additional allowance of RM96 million per year. He said this money could be taken from the oil subsidy.

The monthly assistance is given to individual owners of fishing vessels and Malaysians working on licensed vessels. Eligible recipients are getting RM300 since 2021, compared to RM250 in 2020.

This allowance is meant to help ease the fishermen’s burden in facing the increase in the cost of living. - FMT